Summer Dreams
by RunWithJacobBlack
Summary: AH / AU / Like every year, Bella goes to live with Charlie in Australia. When she meets Jacob, she thinks he's just another typical man her mother would date. Will Bella accept Jacob is different to other men or turn her back on him forever?
1. Australia

I stared out the window of the plane as it slowly started to land in Sydney Australia. The land looked dry, like no rain had fallen for days, if not weeks – which was expected as it was summer here now. The city looked huge from the view of the plane. I knew this region of Australia pretty well thanks to coming here every summer to see my father, Charlie.

He had moved out here after my parents had split up when I was a kid. He said the town of Forks, located in Washington – where we originally came from – was too cold for him to stand anymore. He wanted to see some sun for once, and actually feel the heat when summer came around. I couldn't blame him. I also wasn't the biggest fan of the cold or endless rainy days, but I could never leave my mom at a drop of a hat. It was only the two of us and she needed me. She was one of those typical mums after divorce – going out with drop kicks thinking they'll be the next one. I was always the one kicking them to the curb when they either mistreated her or cheated. I was also the one who cleaned up the mess afterwards.

The one thing I didn't understand about Charlie moving here was the fact he didn't live in Sydney, – which was warm for most of the year – nor did he live just outside it, but lived in The Blue Mountains, where it was hardly warm at all. I had never been able to work it out, even after coming here year-in-year-out since I was nine. He had said he wanted to feel the heat in summer, and yet he lived somewhere where there was barely any at all when the rest of the regain was getting thirty-one to thirty-five degrees days.

As the plane slowed to a stop, I stood up and grabbed my one bag I had brought and slowly got off of the plane. There, waiting in the airport was Charlie, waiting. He had changed a lot over the past year. He seemed a little more frail and lighter in body tone. Though for a fifty something year old guy, he was in pretty good shape apart from a tiny beer belly he had developed since I had last seen him.

"Welcome back Bella," he smiled, taking my bag from my hand and giving an awkward hug. I smiled half-heartedly, murmuring a, "Thanks." Charlie and I hadn't ever really gotten along that well over the years. He did this thing and I did mine. It was how we were, and we were comfortable with it.

The drive back to Charlie's place was almost silent apart from a few questions around the subjects of how mum was and how school was, until I reminded him I had finished school six months ago. And then, to what I thought was an attempt out of desperation, Charlie actually asked if I had a boyfriend – he _never_ asked questions like that. A simple shake of my head ended the talk for the rest of the way.

To be perfectly honest, I had never had a boyfriend, nor planned on having one, ever, – and yes, that is coming from a seventeen-year-old-teenage-girl-in-the-twenty-first-century. The full and honest truth was, mum had enough boy trouble to last us both a life time, and also, after seeing all the guys she had been with, I was starting to believe all men were the same, and there wasn't a single good one out there.

I looked out the window of Charlie's silver ute as he drive down a dirt road with bushland surrounding us on either side of the road. All I saw was the dust rising up from the road, trees, more trees and the setting sun in front of us. The sky was a brilliant bright orange and yellow with few clouds in the sky. It was dark by the time we got to the house, right in the middle of no-where.

The house was old and painted white outside with a simple wooden deck at the feet of the front door, with stairs leading up to it. I sighed, opening my door and closing it behind me. The air was a warmish-cool and the main thing I could hear were the cicadas chirping their way at it, along with a little Willy-Wag-Tail tweeting and calling as it caught insects to feed on.

Walking up to the stairs to the deck, Charlie unlocked the house and walked inside, turning on the lights as he went. The house hadn't changed much since last year. All the furniture was in the same place as it had been last time – TV against the wall, under a window, the light brown couch sitting in front of it with a wooden coffee table between them, and newspapers covering the coffee table, like always.

"Is there anything I can get you Bella?" Charlie asked in a soft tone, setting my bag down in the old kitchen made from mainly wood. The floor was wooden, the cabinets, table and chairs. . . There wasn't one bit of colour in the room apart from the silver fridge.

"No. Thanks. I think I'll just go to bed. I ate on the plane before it landed," I lied. Charlie wouldn't have known and difference because he didn't _really_ know me that well, but mum, she would have seen it coming from a hundred-miles away. To be honest, I was really tired from not sleeping too well on the plane last night and not wanting to be with Charlie that much. I only came here because mum wanted us to have some kind of father, daughter relationship. Just because I agreed to it, didn't mean I had to like it though.

"Oh, okay. I'll see you in the morning then," Charlie replied, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly while staring down at the floor.

I smiled half-heartedly with a nod of my head and grabbed my bag, running upstairs to the room I usually stayed in. Like the rest of the house, the room was small with nothing other than a small bed in the middle of the room with a brown quilt covering its sheets, a cupboard in the corner and a bedside table. Beside the bed was a window looking out to the road.

Setting my suitcase on the bed, I went and had a quick shower before going to bed. It was still only early in the night, though it really didn't matter to me and how tired I was feeling. I set my alarm clock I had brought from home, for seven in the morning so I could maybe see something different tomorrow than be with Charlie around the place. He looked after cows and made a living on them. I hated cows. They stunk and so did all the work they came with. I thought maybe for once, I may find some people my own age to hang out with, though I was doubtful. With living in the middle of nowhere, you also had very few people living around you.

It was just past five-thirty in the morning when I awoke to the sun shining through my window, and I couldn't get back to sleep. Sighing, I flung my legs over the side of the bed and stood. Getting dressed, I went down to the kitchen to have an almost silent breakfast with Charlie before he went out to work.

Going outside, I felt the warm air hit my face as the sun shone down upon my skin. I went over to the garage and found Charlie's old white Ford ute he used to use around the place until he bought his latest. Grabbing the keys to the old ute, from the wall, I got in and turned on its engine. I really didn't know where I was going, but I wasn't going to be staying around here all day.

Slowly, I backed out the drive way and headed west. I hadn't ever really explored the area Charlie lived in before, but for some reason I had an urge to this time round. The bright sun shone down with great heat as I drove. I turned on the air conditioning to cool the ute and myself down. It seemed to be a hotter day than it usually was around here.

Hearing something like a loud scream, I pulled up on the road and cut the engine of the ute to listen to my surroundings. The heat from outside flowed into the ute like a tidal wave after I wound down my window. I couldn't hear anything other than birds and the cicadas again.

I was just about to turn the ute's engine back on when I heard another scream, though it wasn't a scream of fear, but more excitement, which followed by a loud crash of what sounded like something falling into water. My eyes narrowed, trying to work out where that sound was coming from. The scream I had heard sounded female.

I looked around where the ute was parked, trying to see where there was any possibility there could be water, but I found nothing. The sun abruptly disappeared behind a cloud in the sky, cooling things off for the moment it was gone. Then, the second it came back, something hidden within the bushes, up ahead on the side of the road shone brightly, catching my eye. Looking closer, I saw a silver, black and green motorbike parked just off the road.

I got out of my ute quietly and walked up the road in the blazing sun, keeping an eye out for anything coming along the road. For once, I felt like I couldn't breathe out here. I hadn't felt it so hot before.

Walking up to the bike, I heard another splash of water followed by guys laughing, not far from where I stood. I could actually hear the flow of running water now, as well as feel its sweet coolness. I slowly stepped deeper into the bushland and pulled back the long harsh, sharp, dark brown summer grass, relieving a waterfall just beyond the trees.

Large and dark rocks lined the large pool around the waterfall as its running water caused ripples to form and hit against the rocks around the sides gently. The waterfall was only small, but quick and loud at the same time. It was shaded and cool around most of the water thanks to the trees hovering over head. Only a few beams of sunlight broke through the trees and shone down into the water.

I heard another female scream of excitement and looked to my right to see a light tanned girl with short black hair, wearing a black bikini, run into the water with a huge splash as she went. I then heard a guy laughing, pointing where she was coming up for air. He had short hair and a light tan too. He was tall and muscular. He looked like one of the dicks my mother would date – a total womaniser.

"Very funny Paul!" the girl shouted. She looked as though she was about twenty years old.

"Leave her alone, Paul," another guy said in a light voice, appearing beside the other guy. He much like the other guy, only a little shorter and less muscular and shorter black hair. They wore nothing other than black board-shorts.

"Oh drop it Embry. I was only playing," the one called Paul glared at Embry before a smirk appeared over their faces. Paul suddenly pushed Embry into the water, causing a massive splash of water to be thrown into the air under his weight upon impact.

I wasn't taking much notice to the things I heard going on around where I stood while watching the three of them, until I heard a loud snap behind me. I turned around with a gasp, seeing a guy standing behind my back. My chest heaved with fear from not expecting someone to be there. For a moment, I even held my breath – now I really felt as though I couldn't breathe.

He was tall like the others and only wore a pair of dark green-grey board shorts. His body was carved like a Greek-god's – so muscular, so perfect. His shoulders were powerful. His eyes were a light russet chocolate, just like his beautiful skin. His hair was black, dripping and cropped short. His lips, full and a dark red. I felt my knees go weak just staring at him. I had never looked at a guy like him before and felt this way.

A crooked and cocky smile curved over his mouth. "Are you spying on us?" he asked huskily.

For the first time in my life, a guy actually had me speechless. I felt my already hot face turn red, and it wasn't because of the sun or heat this time. "Uh, um. . . I – I, heard someone scream and came to check it out."

His crooked smirk turned into a grin. "Sure you were," he said sarcastically, shaking his head. "It's Jacob, by the way."

"Bella," I replied, a little too quickly with a small smile.

* * *

><p>Hey guys,<p>

So this is a new story I'll be updating one to two times a week through the Australian summer. It's only going to be short, but I think you'll all really enjoy it. You'll all get to see what a summer in Australia is like in my parts.

Hope you all had a great New Year!

Let me know what you think by leaving reviews!

Love you all,

- Sky xoxo


	2. Protector

Jacob smiled with hearing my name. "Nice," he nodded once and gleamed a charming smile. "So what are you _really_ doing out here Bella?" he asked then, making my face go hot with flames of anger.

"You're calling me a liar Jacob?" I shouted.

His hands shot up in defence, taking quick steps back until he ran into the side of the motorbike. His face was covered with worry and panic. "No, no, I'm not Bella. I meant, I've never seen you hear before and I know almost everyone in this area, and someone like you doesn't usually hang out in the brush where there's snakes and wild dogs and stuff," he spat out in a rush of words. I had barely understood a thing he had spoken with it all been said so fast.

I backed off him, taking a step back and crossed my arms over my chest. "Like I told you already, Jake, I heard a scream and came to check it out. I just came back here."

He seemed to ease off now I was a little calmer. "Came back here?" he questioned, cautiously.

I leaned against the bark of a tree standing behind me, staring at the hard ground covered in gumtree leaves and clumps of summer grass. "I visit my father every Australian summer."

"Oh," he muttered, kicking the dirt as he stared down at it. "So where are you from originally?" he looked back up to my face, sheltering his eyes from the strong sun as he did.

I sighed, not liking giving out strangers my personal information. But with Jacob, there was something about him which made my mind and body feel completely at ease around him. I never normally spoke to guys back at home. I only a few and they were dicks too. Especially Mike Newton, who was in almost each and every class I had. I knew he had a crush on me, but if he thought he was going to get anything out of it, he better think again, 'cause no way in hell was it going to happen!

"Forks, Washington," I answered.

A grin came over Jacob's mouth as he looked out to the far distance of the road, though said nothing – I wished I knew what he was thinking for that grin to appear like it had. As he stared off in the distance, without realising it, my eyes dropped to his perfectly toned and rippled torso. His pecks were so defined and strong. His eight-pack of abs were so perfectly ripped. I had only seen models with a body like his. His russet skin looked so smooth and soft. Not a single hair or mark on his body.

"You don't say," he murmured ever so quietly. I hadn't actually heard him. My mind had gone foggy and dazed with looking him over. I was in a world of my own. He was so perfect. . .

"See anything you like?" I suddenly heard Jacob speak in a normal tone and volume, snapping me out of my daydream quickly. My face flushed hot. I just hoped he thought it was from the summer heat and sun.

I looked away from him without answering. I hadn't ever gawked over a guy like that apart from some men in movies. Why was I starting now, with guys that weren't out of show biz?

Jacob smirked crookedly, shaking his head. "So you said you were from Forks? I'm originally from La Push. My, uh . . . dad and I moved out here last year."

I sensed there was something going on with Jacob with how he had spoken of his father. He rubbed the back of his neck while speaking, and for the first time since meeting me, he stared off at the sky instead of making eye contact. I wondered what was on his mind. I could just tell something was off.

Just when I was about to speak, Jacob grabbed my wrist and thrust my body into his side so hard it almost knocked all the air out of me. I glared up at him angrily, trying to push Jake away with all my strength but he just didn't move. He wasn't even looking at me anymore. He was staring in front us while slowly stepping back towards his bike, cautiously.

"What the hell is with you Jacob?" I shouted, looking up at his face. He glanced down, hearing my words for a moment and then shot his gaze back in front of him just as I heard a loud snarl.

My eyes met where his gaze, that was fixed on a sandy-tanned dog snarling and taking slow steps towards us. I almost screamed seeing it. I hated dogs! I had always been scared of dogs.

Jacob's arms stayed tightly around my body in a protective manner. He then slowly made it so I was standing behind him. "Go! Get out of here!" he shouted at the animal, picking up a stick. But it only seemed to aggravate the thing more. It snarled louder, showing its teeth.

"What is with that dog?"

"It's not a dog Bella, it's a dingo."

Like that made anything better! I clutched to Jake for dear life. How were we going to get out of this? I didn't know the first thing about dogs or dingos! I hoped Jake did.

Jacob took quick glances between the dingo, I and the green, silver and black motorbike next to us. I could tell he was trying to quickly come up with a plan. I just hoped it worked and didn't make things worse.

"Bella stay close to me," he said quickly, still holding my hand in a tight grip as he got on the bike and turned the keys, making it roar to life. He then revved the engine several times.

Slowly the dingo began to step back slowly, watching us warily and then took off out of sight. I let out a breath I had been holding. Now feeling dizzy, I stumbled back into Jacob's arms as he still sat on his bike. I glanced up at his face and turned a light red in the cheeks when he smiled down upon my features. I looked away, smiling slightly while staring down at the dry and dusty land under my feet.

"Hey Jake, what's going on? Why were you revving your bike like that?" a guy's voice shouted from behind us. Jacob looked back over his shoulder just as I did, to see the two guys – Embry and Paul – and the girl I had been watching earlier, standing on a huge bolder near the lake of the waterfall, watching us.

Seeing me so close to Jake, the one named Paul smirked and glanced to Embry before looking back to Jake.

"There was a dingo and I didn't know what else would scare it off," Jacob explained after a short minute. The three of them quickly walked over to where we sat.

"Who is this?" Embry asked, glancing at me and then to Jake's face. I bit my lip, feeling like a piece of meat in the eyes of Paul and Embry. I always got that feeling around my mother's boyfriend's too and any guy at school. It was funny, because I hadn't gotten that feeling from Jacob when I first saw him.

"Bella," I murmured answering his question, nor making eye contact with them. It was then I realised I had been completely at ease with Jacob and with his friends around.

"You keeping a secret from us, Jake?" Paul laughed, nudging his arm in a teasing manner.

Jacob rolled his eyes, shaking his head. "Yeah, like that's possible with a perving brother like Embry and you as his best friend. No secrets guys. You know me," he grinned.

"Don't worry Bella, these guys can be dicks, but Jake's the good one. I'm Leah, by the way," she smiled kindly.

Leah was pretty. Someone you would probably see as a model on the runway. Her long, jet black hair matched her dark brown, almost black eyes.

"Um, thanks," I smiled.

"Leah, there's nothing going on," Jacob answered sternly, but was still smiling.

"I'll believe it when I see it," she sighed, winking before continuing on. I tuned out the things they were saying, feeling as though it wasn't my place to listen. My mother had always taught me not to eavesdrop; the funny thing was, I never did eavesdrop until it came to one of her conversations with her soon to be exs.

The whole time Leah, Jacob and I had been speaking, Embry and Paul were basically fighting like kids. Pushing and stoving one and other, all while laughing. Each time one of them shoved or pushed the other, they gained space on the water, until they were on the bank of the waterfall. That was when Embry pushed Paul into the water. A great big crash of water sounded, catching Jacob and Leah's attention.

Paul came up, gasping for air. "That wasn't fucking funny Embry!" he shouted. Embry was laughing his head off at the expression Paul had over his face. His eyes were covered from how the water had pushed Paul's short hair over his head from coming up to the surface for air.

Leah started laughing too. Jacob tried his best not to, but failed in the end. I couldn't help but laugh myself after many attempts of trying not to.

"Hey, don't use that language while ladies are present Paul," Embry laughed, literally beating his hands against the bolder he sat on.

I saw a dark smirk come over Paul's face as he slowly and quietly swam over to where Embry was still laughing like a lunatic. He grabbed Embry's board shorts he was wearing and somehow threw Embry into the middle of the lake. Embry didn't seem too impressed when he came back up. We all started laughing harder than before. I hadn't laughed so hard in my life.

It was almost sun-set when I said my goodbyes to the boys and Leah. I thought unless I wanted fully burnt food, I had better get home to Charlie. Of course, my food wasn't much better to his, but at least my food wasn't fully burnt, all the time like his.

I was kind of disappointed that I had to leave Jacob and his friends. They seemed very nice. Especially Jacob. . . I smiled on the way home. Just thinking about him made a smile curve over my mouth.

When I got home, Charlie had also just got home from work. His break lights had just come one and his cattle dogs were jumping off the truck. I stayed in the old ute until they were all locked up in their cages before getting out into the cooler night air. I really didn't like dogs. . .

I was about to go inside and begin cooking dinner when Charlie came up to me. "Hey Bella, where have you been all day?"

"Just went to have a look around." There was no reason to say I was with Jacob and his friends, unless I wanted a teasing. Charlie knew what I was like with guys and he also knew it wasn't likely I would ever accept one in the way of been best friend or boyfriend material in my life before all of hell froze over. Lucky for me, Charlie wasn't the type to push the subject and keep on asking more and more questions to get the full story.

"Oh. I was uh, thinking, if you wish to, we could go down to the club or pub and get dinner tonight if you want. Save us both cooking. It's not far from here."

I smiled and nodded. "Okay sure." A break from cooking did sound good. I always cooked at home, either for myself because mum was out on a later night '_date_' or late getting home from work. Cooking was just another thing on my list of hated things.

"Okay. I'll just go get changed." With Charlie going back inside, I got into his truck and waited. It didn't take long until we were at the pub and had ordered our meals. Of course with my being under eighteen, we had to sit in the other room away from the bar. I sighed and rolled my eyes at the thought. Like anyone would realise I was under age anyway.

Sitting in my seat, waiting for our meals of steak and salad, I looked around myself, taking in the design of the place. The pub's walls were all wooden, coated with varnish. The pub itself was an old, country style. It was kind of nice really – neat and comfortable – I liked it.

While eating, I started to hear people playing pool behind us. I didn't take any notice until Charlie spoke up. "Looks like you have a watcher Bella," he said quietly and softly.

Looking over my shoulder as I swallowed a mouthful of salad, I saw Jacob and Embry playing pool together. It was Jacob's turn. Just as he was about to hit the ball, his gaze strayed to me. His smile and eyes lit up, making my knees feel weak even with my still sitting on the wooden chair.

"Why don't you go say hello?" Charlie said. His voice sounded as though it was off in the distance. Embry called Jacob's attention to play the game. He looked away as I shook my head and glanced back at Charlie.

"Um, no, I don't think so. He's busy."

Charlie smiled slightly as he went back to eating. I kept watching the boys from the corner of my eye then. Jacob hit the ball into the hole and grinned. I guessed it must have been a score for him. I didn't know the first thing about pool to really know what was going on. But that didn't stop me from watching and trying to work it out.

It was Jacob's turn once more and there was only one ball left on the table. It was only centimetres away from the hole. With one very light nudge, Jake sent it into the hole. He grinned crookedly at Embry as he threw a fake hissy hit.

"You won man," Embry announced, clasping Jacob's hand as they bumped shoulders. "Okay I got to get home or mum is going to freak again. Night man."

"Night Emb," Jacob shouted, leaning back against the side of the pool table, resting his hands on its ledge while staring up at the ceiling for a moment. Jacob's eyes then began to wonder and landed upon where I sat. Quickly, I looked away, trying to act as though I hadn't seen him – but of course he knew I had.

I let my hair fall over the side of my face, shielding my face and eyes while watching Jacob waking over to our table. I really didn't know how Charlie would react to Jake. I hadn't seen him around any of my very few – so called – guy friends before.

* * *

><p>Hey guys,<p>

Hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Sorry it's almost a week late. I got busy and then didn't get much sleep on the weekend thanks to my father having a stupid sale thing. I'll have another chapter up very soon to make up for it.

Keep those awesome reviews coming in guys! I love hearing what you all think.

Love ya,

- Sky x


	3. Playing Pool

Walking casually over to us, Jacob half sat, half leaned on the side of the table. His eyes flickered to Charlie first and then to me. I pretended I hadn't noticed him there yet and just kept on eating and trying not to make a fool of myself by dropping anything in front of him.

"Evening Charlie," Jacob spoke in an even and deep tone, catching my attention. I looked up and caught Jacob's gaze which was fixed on my face for a moment. Charlie looked up too and that was when Jake looked back to my father. They knew each other? How?

"Evening Jacob. What brings you here?"

Jake shrugged. "Good place to chill and play pool. Not much to do at home."

"Oh, well, that would be true for a kid of your age I guess. Do you know my daughter, Bella?"

I turned pinked in the cheeks and tried to hide my face. Why did Charlie have to embarrass me in front of Jake? He probably thought I was a complete daddy's girl now and I sure as hell wasn't!

From the corner of my eye, I could see Jacob smile. "Yeah, I kind of do," he replied.

My cheeks reddened more hearing his tone. It seemed so admiring and caring as his smile kept on gleaming. A quick glance at Jacob's face, and felt my own turn hot. I then realised what I was doing and shook my head, reminding myself, _he's _just _a typical guy, like all of mum's boyfriends. Forget him._

Without looking up at him, I murmured, "Hey Jake," just to be polite and kept on eating. I hung my head so he couldn't see my face and I couldn't see his. The last thing I needed was a boyfriend or _some_ guy hanging around like a bad smell giving me trouble.

But my ignoring Jake didn't put him off. "So, um do you want to play some pool with me, Bella?" Jacob asked in a nervous tone, one he was obviously trying to hide.

"I don't know how to," I replied a little too quickly, looking up at him again. The whole time my brain was screaming, _damn it Bella! Why can't you stop looking at his face? He's a loser, just like all men! Stop it! _But I couldn't. For some reason it was impossible to do so.

"I could teach you, if you want?" he offered then.

I looked to Charlie, hoping he would bail me out. But instead, he just picked up another mouthful of salad and shook his head once. "You can go Bells. Plenty of time," he answered and looked into my eyes with a smile. _Setup._ He was almost finished eating and he knew what I thought of men. I also knew how he always wanted to get up and go after finishing a meal too. He was just taking Jake's side.

I rolled my eyes and pouted, seeing no way out of it. "Fine, let's go," I spoke through a sigh, pushing my chair back and standing up.

Jacob smiled crookedly and walked along my side as we headed over to the green matted pool table. I truly had no idea what to do other than hit the balls into the holes. I knew I would epically embarrass myself doing this. I always did embarrass myself in front of people. I would probably end up shoving the stick into the green carpet of the table and rip it or hit a ball so hard it flies up into the light dangling down over the table. I could see this was a lesson for disaster waiting to happen.

I was surprised the pool room didn't smell like smoke and was quieter than the rest of the bar. A few tables and chairs were setup around the room, though none of them were occupied. It was just Jake and I . . . thankfully. It was bad enough he was going to be a witness to my grade A klutziness.

Jacob quickly setup up the balls ready for play. I really didn't get the idea of the game as Jake tried to explain it. It seemed pointless. I shook my head with a small smile on my lips. "I don't get it," I said after he had finished explaining.

"Well, I'll show you then. I'll take the double-digit-numbers. Yours are the single. So all you do, is try and hit your balls into the hole. Seems you don't understand the game I'll let a few things go so you can learn." He smiled with a wink, leaning down and aiming the stick thing at ball marked twelve. With a gentle glide of the stick the balls went scattering over the table. I was a little nervous that one was going to fly off the table he had hit them with so much force.

"Okay. It's your turn Bella," Jacob smiled.

I made a face as I took the stick from Jacob's hand. Something was going to happen. I just knew it. I looked down at the wooden thing in my hands. The end of it was painted red. It looked old as some of the varnish on it had worn off.

"W-what is this thing called?" I asked, looking up to his perfect face. I felt my cheeks turn red again. _God he was beautiful. I hadn't seen anyone like him before. . ._

"It's a cue stick Bella," he smiled. "You really do not know anything about pool, do you?" he then asked as I went to hit the ball marked six. I turned my head hearing him and raised an eye brow in his direction. Was it that obvious?

He laughed coming over to my side. "Can I show up something?"

"Um, sure," I breathed nervously. Jacob came around from behind me and lightly clasped his hand around mine at the bottom of the cue stick and then my other hand at the tip.

"Lighten your grip a little. Try and hold the cue stick between your thumb and index finger to steady it. If you need to, put your index finger over it. Try and hit the centre of the ball so it doesn't bounce. Light strokes and then hit it."

Jacob slowly glided the cue stick within my grip and then hit the ball straight into the hole in one go. I stood up straight smiling, proud of myself that nothing bad had happen with my first shot. Now, I was having fun.

About an hour later, Jacob found he had been beaten by a girl. I couldn't stop skipping around the pool table and waving my arms in the air while smiling. Never before had I won in any kind of sport until now. I glanced at Jacob's face as I put the cue stick back in its stand. He was smiling brightly. Happy for me. I actually hadn't ever seen someone so happy for me before.

"Come on Bella, it's time to go home," Charlie called while sitting at the bar talking to someone. I sighed hearing him. Once again I was finding myself not wanting to leave Jacob's side. I hadn't found anyone – guy or girl – I wanted to be around so much. None of my girlfriends back home felt so . . . comforting to be around. I hadn't felt this feeling before.

"Coming," I shouted.

"So, will I see you again?" Jacob asked, closing the distance between the two of us. He was holding my gaze with his own. I felt like I was captive and couldn't break away. His chocolate eyes were so deep and gorgeous. I felt like reaching up and cupping his cheek.

"You can bet on it," I smiled. "I wana kick your arse again in pool." I winked walking away.

Jacob laughed hearing my words and grinned crookedly. "I look forward to that. Night Bella."

"Night Jake and thanks," I called with a smile, walking outside with Charlie.

The whole ride home Charlie was questioning relentlessly about the game and what Jacob was like. He only knew his father mostly as they went fishing together. Jacob wasn't usually home when he went over. I wondered what Jacob did for fun when he wasn't at home. Maybe he was a party goer or hung out with his friends at the waterfall or something. The more I knew about Jacob, the more I wanted to know who he was, what he was like.

"So, where's his mother?" I asked as the truck pulled up at the house.

Charlie cut the engine and sighed, looking down to his lap. He stayed quiet for a moment and then turned his head to look into my eyes. I knew with how he was acting something bad must have happened to her. "She died in a car crash. Jacob was fifteen at the time. He was in the car with her. She died upon impact. He was left with just a few cuts."

I felt my heart sink for Jake. That must have been horrible for him. I couldn't imagine losing my mother. She meant the world to me even with making so many stupid mistakes.

"Oh . . . is that why he and his father moved out here last year?"

Charlie nodded and got out of the ute before going inside. I shook my head thinking about how Jacob would have felt about his mother. In a way, I kind of wished she didn't get along with her and didn't like her, as that would make losing her easier, maybe. But knowing Jacob, the very little I did know him, I didn't think that would be the case. He seemed to be the type who love and cared for all those he knew. I wondered if he was still conscious minutes or even seconds after the accident. God how I hoped not! There wouldn't be anything worse than that.

Going inside, I had a shower, brushed my teeth and went to bed. As I finally lay down on my mattress, my mind filled with thoughts of Jacob; his bright smile that could light a room; his laugh and eyes as they lit up with his smile; his amazingly perfect sculptured body. . . and then thinking back to his eyes, I had noticed something within them – a hint of sadness. I wanted to know more about Jake. The good and the bad; no matter how ugly the bad things were. I wanted to know him and everything that had made him into the person I saw today. He was so kind and caring. He protected me from that dingo, even after I been so rude. He didn't have to. But he did.

There was something about Jacob, which really drew my entire being to him and him alone. Maybe . . . I shouldn't keep thinking Jacob was like all those dicks my mother had had for boyfriends over the years, and what I had for male friends. Maybe he wasn't like them. He didn't seem like them. He wasn't hitting on me at least, like all the others. He was caring and kind, that his way of showing he liked me, without all that stuff. He didn't need to do it to get my attention. My attention was already on him because of those things he had done.

As my eyes closed and my head rested against my pillow, a bright smile came over my mouth. I _really_ did like Jacob, too, like no one else I had ever met before. The only thing I worried about was what I would do if I had read him wrong and only _thought_ he liked me back.

Mentally, I rolled my eyes at myself. The boy trouble had already started and I wasn't even in a relationship yet. Though, I still didn't know if I could ever take things that far. I still had my mother to worry about and everything she had going on. I thought then maybe Jacob could help my mother too. If she met him, maybe he would make her realise what a _real_ man was, that is, if Jake was who I thought he was.

So many things to consider and think about and I had no energy to do it with. I was tired and it was way beyond midnight. I finally got my brain to shut down, after deciding I was going to try and find Jacob tomorrow. How hard could it be to find him in a place like this?

* * *

><p>Hey guys,<p>

Once again thank you for all your comments and reviews. I love hearing from you all and knowing just how many of you are reading this story. I'm hoping to get another chapter up by the weekend if I don't get too busy with writing an original story I plan on having published and also updating The New Dawn.

Keep those reviews coming in!

Love you all!

- Sky x


	4. Broken Down

Getting up early, after Charlie had left for work, I had a quick breakfast and got into the old ute of Charlie's, setting out to look for Jacob. I wanted to know him more. I wanted to know everything about him there was to know, and the only way to find all that out was to find him and get to know him.

Firstly, I checked out the waterfall, where I had met him the first time. Looking around for a while, I didn't find him. I then drove to the pub to see if he was there playing with Embry, Leah or Paul. But once again, I didn't find Jake.

Walking slowly out of the pub, watching my feet as I walked back to the ute while thinking deeply where to look next. I felt the summer rays of the sun bearing down upon my skin as I went. I really didn't know Jacob well enough to know any other places he went, to keep on looking for him.

Sighing, I got into the ute and out of the heat of the sun. Today was slightly cooler than yesterday. I thought last night, finding Jacob in a small place like this would be so easy, but it wasn't proving to be that way after all. . . I was kind of disappointed.

Turning on the engine, it growled and snarled before coming to life before shorting out. My eyes narrowed trying it again, but this time, the old ute didn't come back to life. After another ten tries, I gave up. I leaned back in the car seat and stared up at the ceiling. _Thank god for cell phones_, I thought, reaching into my jean's pocket and fished out my own.

Flipping it open, I went online and found the number of the local mechanic before dialling it. It was an older man to who answered. I told him what was wrong and he said he would have someone with me very soon. Giving him the directions of where I was located, I hung up the phone and started waiting.

I looked out the window to the pub, seeing it was almost dead at the time of the day it was. There were only cars of the employees in the car park. I guessed only at dinner time or lunch time it was busy. . .

After a while, I got my phone back out of my pocket and turned on some music I had on its memory card. I closed my eyes and tapped my foot to the beat while humming. Anything was better than waiting. It was starting to feel like hours since I had called the mechanic shop, but I knew that wasn't true.

After a few more minutes of waiting and listening to music, I jumped at the sound of a tapping on the ute's window. My eyes flashed open and to the person standing outside. My heart skipped a beat as I seen who it was and got out.

"Jacob," I breathed nervously. "What are you doing here?"

"Hey Bella, um you asked for help with your ute, didn't you? I'm here to fix it." He smiled shyly, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand.

I felt my jaw drop looking athim. "You're a mechanic? I mean _the_ mechanic they sent out?"

"Uh, yeah, is that a problem?" Jacob's voice sounded nervous and slightly defensive now. He glanced away from my direction and to the car, leaving his hand on the back of his neck. I started to think Jacob hadn't been around women that much to be acting this way. Most men I knew were cool and confident around women. Maybe that was what made Jacob different from them and more polite.

"No, no problem. I just didn't imagine you'd be a mechanic at your age."

Jacob half laugh, half grinned. "Well, I understand what you're saying, but my dad owns the shop and I and Paul work there. We're both self taught, beginning at age six and seven. We know more than the professionals." Jacob looked proud of what he had just said and his work. To be honest, I couldn't blame him for been proud of himself or his work. That was a pretty big thing at sixteen, seventeen.

Most kids Jacob's age didn't even know what they wanted to do for work, let alone had something like that going on. All the teenagers back home had their minds fixed on one thing and one thing only – sex, duh. . . Jobs, work and school were not important to them.

"Impressive," I murmured, feeling my cheeks turning hot. I turned my gaze towards the ute, hoping Jake would think it was the summer sun making my face red. Why was I acting this way? I never turned red around guys at home.

"Thanks. So what happened to it?"

"It snarled and died. That's it. I couldn't get it to go again."

"How old is it?" Jake asked, going over and popping the hood. Before I could answer, he answered for me. "This ute is over twenty years old!"

"H-how can you tell?" I walked over to where Jake was leaning down, looking and running his hands over what I guessed was the engines of the ute. I didn't have the slightest clue what was what when it came to vehicles and their engines. All I knew was they needed engines to run right. . .

"Well," Jacob started with. "I know this engine and it hasn't been made since 1981. So that's one problem it has. The other problem is, it's been over heated, the battery needs replacing and the brakes are on the way out. You'd be better off throwing this thing into the dump than paying for it to be fixed, Bella."

I sighed, putting the corner of my lip down, making a face. "Great. Charlie isn't going to like that. How much will it cost?"

"At least a thousand, just to replace everything, and make it road worthy," Jacob answered in a low tone. Something made me think even then the ute wasn't going to last for long – something else Charlie wouldn't be impressed about, seems I was the last to use it before it died. But at least he couldn't say the ute was brand new and I had to pay for its fixing expenses. That was the only thing I could think of which would make things worse – for me anyway.

"I can't let you drive this thing Bella. You're lucky the thing died before the brakes gave out. If you like, I can give you a ride home?" A small smile flickered across Jacob's mouth as he stared into my eyes. I felt like time itself had frozen within that moment. His eyes were just so capturing. I couldn't look away, even when I tried so hard to. I could hardly think. I even thought my heartbeat had stopped within that moment.

"Um, yes, thank you, Jacob," I squeaked out breathlessly.

I saw the smile upon Jacob's mouth grow after hearing my answer. I could have sworn I had seen his eyes light up also before he turned his back and walked over to the shining black ute parked behind Charlie's.

Jacob's ute was obviously new with not having a mark on it. He must have taken great and careful care with it. I felt like running my hand along its paint work as I walked over to the passenger side, but didn't dare to do so.

The drive back to Charlie's place was silent. I kept expecting Jacob to say something for how he kept glancing in my direction, but he never did. I also didn't know what to say. I wanted to ask him about his mother, but I couldn't just bring it up out of the blue either. . .

Pulling up in the driveway, I sighed not wanting Jake to leave my side. I knew it was selfish as he probably had more work to do, but it wasn't my fault I liked his company so much.

An idea quickly came to my mind. I fished around my bag and half sighed, half pouted, catching Jacob's attention. "Is everything okay?"

"I forgot the keys to the house. I'm going to cook out there before dark."

"That's okay. I've got all day," Jacob turned on the cool air conditioning and pushed the driver's seat back before putting his hands behind his head. He stared up at the ceiling of the ute for a moment and held my gaze again. "So what brought you out here Bella? Why did you move?" he asked in a gentle tone.

I shrugged a little, sitting back in the passenger seat. "I come here every year to be with Charlie for summer," I murmured with another shrug.

"So you're parents are separated? I'm sorry," Jacob whispered, brushing his hand along the back of my own. I shrugged again and went on staring at the house in front of Jacob's ute.

"Doesn't really bother me," I replied and looked to him. "What about you? You told me at the waterfall you were from La Push. What made you move?"

I hoped Jacob wasn't upset by my asking. He stayed silent for a while. "My mom died a couple of years ago. I and dad couldn't stand living there anymore. I have some family here, so that's why we moved out here." Jacob's voice was so soft and light while speaking now. I could tell he greatly loved and respected his mother.

I noticed he still had some of his American accent. "I'm sorry Jacob. . . W-what happened? How did Embry take it?"

"It was raining, some drunken guy hit us. Mom died upon impact . . . I was awake the whole time; I just couldn't move to help her. I kept thinking the whole I was in hospital – just been in there so the doctors could make sure I was okay – that I could have helped her if I could have moved. I knew first aid off by heart. . . It was two months later I found out that she died upon impact. I was fifteen, almost sixteen at the time. It was about a month later we moved here." Jacob looked confused for a moment and then something seemed to click. "Embry. . . isn't my brother. He's my best friend who is more like a brother. Life has been better since coming out here, but, I still wish mom was here, too. She lived over here when she was a kid."

I nodded listening. "I'm so sorry Jacob."

"No it's okay. It feels good to tell someone," he allowed another small smile to come over his lips as he sat up and become closer to where I sat, still in his ute. "Mom would like you Bella. You're like the daughter she was planning to have one day. . ." I couldn't think to find the words to respond. I felt like I couldn't breathe as Jacob's eyes bored into my own. _Oh his eyes. _I felt lost within , I felt Jacob's warm and soft hand come in contact with my cheek as he cupped it. I felt my heart skip a beat and my breath hitch in the back of my throat.

"Jacob. . ." I murmured, almost moaned as I felt his lips lightly brush against my own. I couldn't believe how warm, smooth and soft his lips felt, just slightly touching mine. I leaned in a little closer to Jacob until it closed the touching and made it a kiss. Jacob kissed me lightly, keeping just his hand on my cheek, exploring my lips slowly. The kiss itself was gentle, soft and so, so sweet. I could have stayed this way with Jacob forever. It felt too good to be true.

My hands wound the back of his neck as my fingers threaded through his short black hair, slowly deepening the kiss. Jacob's free arm wrapped around my neck as the kiss became a little faster. I could feel my heart pumping hard in my chest like it was going to give out. There was nothing in my mind I was thinking of that didn't have to do with Jacob. It was like we were in a world of our own, where only the two of us existed. We were both quickly becoming breathless until I heard Charlie pull up. I broke the kiss, pulling away from Jacob to look out the window of the ute. I gasped seeing Charlie getting out of his own ute and coming our way. It was now sunset and almost dark.

"Oh my god that's Charlie. Do you think he saw us?"

Jacob shook his head and smirked. "Not possible. These windows are tinted so no one can see in," Jacob said with confidence. Then his voice dropped with disappointment. "I guess I better let you go then, huh?"

I bit my lip nodding. "Yeah, I guess so." I went to get out of the ute when Jacob spoke.

Turning around to face him, I saw his face was flushed red as he stared down at the side of the passenger seat.

"Um, would you like to come to motor-cross with me tomorrow, Bella?"

I smiled, placing a kiss on Jacob's cheek, which flushed his face a even brighter red. "I'd love to Jacob."

* * *

><p>Hey guys,<p>

Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Just wanted to let you all know I meant to write mom for Jake's story as he hasn't been out in Australia for as long as Bella has been visiting.

Hope you all are enjoying your weekend, and once again, thank you a million times for supporting this story and reviewing!

Love ya all!

- Sky xoxo


	5. Confessing

After Jacob left last night, I ended up telling Charlie what had happened with his ute over dinner. Understandably he wasn't too happy, but in a way, he didn't seem too worried about it either. I guessed it was because he knew just how old the ute really was.

When I got up this morning, it was humid and steamy. I also noticed my room was darker than usual. I flung my legs over the side of the bed and went over to the window. Pushing back the light curtains, I saw it was raining heavy outside. _I guess there will be no motorcross today_, I thought, pouting and feeling a little disappointment. After getting breakfast and getting dressed, I went outside to sit on the veranda, waiting for Jacob to come or call. I presumed he had my father's number seems they knew one and other.

At around ten o'clock and after only half an hour of waiting, I saw Jacob drive into our driveway and pull up. I smiled and stood with seeing him, staying on the veranda as he grabbed a jacket to put over his head and ran undercover beside me. He smiled brightly and stared into my eyes the first chance he got. "Hey Bella," he said ever so softly. I felt like I was melting away by just how beautifully my name sounded when he spoke it.

"Hey, Jake," I murmured back, with the 'hey' coming out silently. I could feel my cheeks burning hot again while staring back into his eyes. His arms wrapped around me softly as placed a kiss on my forehead. I looked back up to Jacob's face and smiled. It felt nice to be held like this. Jacob was so warm against my own body. I hadn't noticed I was cold until his arms were around my waist.

I leaned into his chest, closing my eyes as I listened to his heartbeat and the rain falling around us. I took a deep breath of his musky scent in and smiled. "That kiss last night," I whispered, keeping my eyes closed. "I enjoyed it." I could feel Jacob's eyes upon me now.

"So did I," he murmured back. I could tell he was smiling by the tone of voice he had used. "Have you, ever, been kissed before, Bella?" he questioned with a slightly nervous edge to his voice now.

I leaned away from Jacob and looked up to his face to hold his gaze. My arms stayed around him. For some reason, I felt like been completely honest with him. If any of the guys back home had asked me, I would have become all defensive about it for no reason. "No," I answered faintly. "I haven't been kissed before last night."

He smiled softly and cupped my cheek with his left hand. His hand was so warm and smooth, just like . . . _his lips_. I fought back a moan with the thought of last night. I didn't think a kiss could be filled with so much feeling of love, passion, desire, and feelings so strong that made me forget everything around us and where we were. It had been like; it had always been just Jake and I in the world. Like we had always known one and other, loved one and other, worried about one and other. When he kissed me, everything disappeared: fear, worry, distrust, my mum's history as well as my own with the men I knew back home. Jacob _is_ different to them. There was no doubting that now.

"Good, 'cause, neither have I." His tone had turned huskily while speaking. "I've never felt this way before, Bella," he admitted, looking into my eyes like he was searching for something. I saw a slight smirk come over the corners of Jacob's lips suddenly and then it disappeared. I wondered if he had found what he had been searching for.

"Neither have I," I murmured, wrapping my arms around his neck. I saw that smirk come back over his lips, but this time, it stayed and it turned crooked. That's what he had been searching for. He already knew what I was going to say. . .

Hesitantly, I felt Jacob's lips brush over my own. My breath caught in the back of my throat. My hands turned into fists around his neck. There was just something about Jacob which made me lose contact of my usual, protective self, and allowed the carefree me come out. I pulled him closer, closing the brushing of his lips into a deep kiss. I knew he was always allowing me to back out if I wanted. I was sure he already knew _everything_ I felt for him.

His lips were hotter than I remembered yesterday. His kiss was slower though more heated after his mouth parted mine. A moan escaped my throat as I felt the wall of the house against my back. I hadn't even noticed Jacob was pushing me back until that moment. His hands were resting on either side of my waist as he kept kissing me, taking a slow and passionate lead. I knew if he wanted, he could take it faster, but he wasn't. He knew the pace we both liked and what I was comfortable with.

If this was with any of the guys back home, I would have backed out by now, thinking they were going to take it to the next level. The difference was with Jacob, I could feel and sense the love and care behind his kiss. It was so tender and sweet, even for been so heated and passionate.

"Jake. . ." I murmured slightly breathless after he had pulled away. He smiled, tucking a stand of my hair behind my ear and pecked me on the lips again.

His eyes were so soft and loving as his hand stroked my cheek. My arms stayed lazily hanging from his shoulders. "Bella, do you believe in love at first sight?" he whispered, biting his lip nervously.

A couple of days ago, before I had met Jacob, I would have said '_no, that's stupid stuff they make up in the movies,_' but that belief, had been _before_ I met Jacob. When I was around him, when that dingo had come, I had been so rude to Jacob and yet, he still treated me with respect. I instantly knew when I had seen him, he was different, somehow.

"Yes, I do," I breathed. "Only because of you, though." Normally I wouldn't have ever admitted something like that to anyone. But Jake, just made the truth come out from within, and without having to think or second guess myself if I really wanted him to know the truth, because I already knew. No one I had ever been around before, mum, Charlie, family or friend, I had been like this with, telling the truth, not without thinking if I wanted them to know the truth, first.

Jacob smiled at that. "I think . . . I'm in love you with you Bella. It's the only thing I can put what I feel for you, down to."

I nodded, breaking away from his gaze and stared down at the veranda's dark wooden flooring for a moment and then back to Jacob's face. "I feel the same way," I answered in a soft tone. Jacob pecked my lips again and whispered a "I'm glad," into my ear.

For a while, we just sat down watching the rain falling around the house as I sat between Jacob's legs with his arms wrapped around my body. I felt warm and safe with him. I thought how crazy this was. I was in love with him and it had happened so quickly, I hadn't even realised it had happened or was happening.

I leaned back against Jacob's shoulder, signing contently. I felt his gaze upon my face and felt a kiss been placed on my cheek. "I guess we won't be doing motorcross today," he whispered through a light sigh. "I am happy to be here with you though, Bella."

I smiled, leaning into his hold and rested my forehead against his neck. "So am I."

Hours seeped past so slowly and yet so quickly while we sat outside together, just talking and being with one and other. It was about an hour before it got dark when the rain finally stopped. The air was fresh, still strongly scented with the smell of the rain blowing through the light breeze. I could hear crickets chirping in the ground and frogs croaking everywhere.

Jacob's arms slipped away from around me as he stood up. "Do you want to go for a walk through the forest before dark?" he asked softly.

I smiled and nodded. "Sure. It sounds nice."

I went over to the door and put on a pair of shoes which were more appropriate for the wetland compared to thongs and headed off with Jacob. He held my hand lightly as we walked, making sure I didn't slip on the wet, slimy grass as we went. He took the lead, snapping down any twigs in our path while walking.

Slowly we headed up the forest behind Charlie's house. It wasn't long before Jake and I knew why we could hear so many frogs back at the house and while walking. After only a few metres of walking, Jake and I found a small river with water rushing over rocks as it fell down into a little, calmer, stream down below. The frogs were so loud I almost had to cover my ears for the sound. There were waterweeds on the banks, where the frogs seemed to be their loudest. I didn't mind the sound of them croaking. It was just how loud they were around the river I didn't like.

Jacob stopped and leaned down by the river, letting my hand go as I stood behind him. "They say only the male frogs croak. There are about ten different breeds here right now," he said calmly.

"How do you know that," I shouted over their sound.

Jacob smiled, and stood back up. "Because, each breed of frog has a different call; the males of the same breed sound only a tiny bit different from the other. Humans can't tell the difference though. Only the female frogs can."

"Wow. I didn't know frogs were so complicated." I was impressed by what Jacob knew.

"No different to humans," he smirked.

Both Jacob and I looked up to the darkening night sky, hearing an abrupt and loud crack of thunder echo through the mountains around us as a bright flash of lightning lit up the lands we stood upon. I felt Jake's hand come around mine with hearing and seeing the thunder and lightning.

"I think we better get home before that storm hits," Jake said.

I nodded as he led the way back to Charlie's house. When we got closer to the house, I noticed the outside of it was lit up brightly. I knew it was too brightly lit up to be the back light turned on and shining out to the yard.

As we came around the side of the house, I noticed Charlie's ute was pulled up in the driveway. I was surprised he was already home before dark. The thing that surprised me most though, was seeing the Christmas lights lining the outside of the house and veranda. Rainbow lights lined the roof and veranda. Stars were hung in the windows and were also shining out to the veranda. The lights themselves were picking up the droplets of water on the grass, left over from the rain.

I hadn't ever seen Charlie's house lit up with Christmas lights before. I gasped seeing them and looked to Jacob who smiled. I could also see lights of a Christmas tree through the corner window inside. Charlie hadn't even put up a decent sized tree before. It had always been a pine tree he had found in the bush and put some lights on it. They were barely a foot tall most of the time. I wondered why he was making an effort this year for Christmas. He never had in the past, even when I was little. Mum had done all the work when it came to Christmas, birthdays or any other holiday.

"The house looks nice with the lights going on it," Jacob commented, while walking up the stairs to the veranda. I nodded, seeing a note stuck to the front door. I grabbed it as Jacob stood at my side and started reading it. Charlie had gone out to grab some groceries from town. _He must have taken the car_, I thought. He also said he hoped I liked the Christmas lights. Charlie never, usually, cared about what I thought.

Jacob sighed suddenly and rubbed the back of his neck. "I guess I better get going. Dad will be wondering where I am."

"Oh, okay. Well thanks for today Jake," I smiled, feeling disappointed he had to leave. "I really enjoyed it. So to-" I trailed off with feeling something jump onto my back and then it climbing up my back. All the blood draw from my face as I felt it climbing. "OH MY GOD, GET IT OFF! GET IT OFF! GET IT OFF!" I screamed, trying to get the thing off my back before I saw it and really freaked.

I saw Jacob smirk as he grabbed whatever the thing was from my shoulder. "Bella, calm down," he whispered. "It's a tree frog."

I turned around to see a giant green frog in Jacob's hands. I screamed again. I didn't mind hearing frogs, but when it came to them been near me, I could not handle it!

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><p>Hey guys!<p>

So happy to hear you're enjoying this story. Keep the reviews coming in. I love hearing from you all. :)

Hope you all had a great weekend!

Love ya,

- Sky x


	6. Riding

Jacob smirked crookedly at my reaction. "Hey, chill Bells. It's only tree frog. It's harmless. We're more danger to it than it is to us."

"How do you figure that?" I shouted. "It almost gave me a heart-attack!"

I heard a small snicker come from him and a small glimpse of a smirk come to his mouth before it disappeared. "Well if you had grabbed it wrong you would have hurt him. Your hands are dry so that will damage his skin which he uses to drink through and knowing girls, you probably have some kind of cream or soaps on your skin which would hurt him too."

I stared at Jacob like he was green and had two big eyes. "How do you know all this?" I questioned softly.

He shrugged his shoulders and put the green frog down on the corner of the veranda – out of harms way. I now noticed it was green with some gold down its sides. It was a big frog and it was kind of pretty – for a frog that is.

"My mom loved nature. She taught me a lot of it. We used to have loads of books with animals in it, from all over the world. She used to pick some out and tell me about them. She kept saying how when I grew up and when we had enough money, she wanted to travel the world and see all the animals. I wanted to too, but sadly that never happened. If I had my guess, that frog is a Green and Gold Bell Frog. It's endangered." A small smile curved over the corner of his mouth as he stared down at the frog as it jumped into the long and wet grass around the house. I could tell Jacob missed his mother and really had a passion for animals too. He knew too much about them not to.

"I'm sure she's proud of you," I whispered softly, staring at where the frog had gone, too. Then, I could feel Jacob's eyes staring in my direction. I really did think she would be proud of Jake. He was so down to earth, friendly and sweet, not to mention he really did know his animal facts. He spoke as though he knew frogs like he knew the back of his hand. It was hard to believe he was just a teenager.

"You really think so?" Jacob asked.

I nodded and smiled, looking into his eyes. "Yes."

He smiled back. "Thanks Bella." He sighed and looked out to the stormy night. "I guess I better go. Dad will be freaking out otherwise." Before I could say another word, I felt those warm and soft lips against my own. I smiled into them and wrapped my arms around Jacob. He held the kiss for a moment and then broke off. I smiled up at him. "What was that for?"

He smirked crookedly and pointed to the ceiling of the veranda above us, where there was some kind of plant with a red bow wrapped around it. "Mistletoe," he answered. I watched as his smirk turned into a grin.

I felt my face turn red, though I didn't try to hide it. _How hadn't I seen that?_ I didn't even know where Charlie would have found or gotten the stuff in the first place. It was so unlike him to be doing all this stuff for Christmas. He wasn't one for celebrating the holidays at all. Especially Christmas. . .

"Alright, I'm going now, before I kiss you again and get caught by your father," Jake chuckled and kissed my cheek.

I smiled crookedly and nodded. "Will I see you again tomorrow?"

"Whether it's raining or not, you will," he smiled crookedly again and walked out towards his ute, still parked in the driveway.

"Good. I look forward to it," I said as Jake got in and started its engine. He waved with another one of his bright smiles and backed his ute out of the driveway and disappeared onto the road. I could see the faint white light of the ute's headlights going down the road, through the trees, sitting beside the road.

Seeing a bright flash of lightning cross the sky, I smiled widely, feeling excited and almost as though I was on a sugar high. Everything in the world felt and seemed right all because of Jacob. I had never felt these things before. I hadn't ever felt so happy, so excited, so high, so energetic or so light. I felt complete, something I had always thought I felt until now. Jacob completed me in ways I'd never thought were possible.

With a loud crack of thunder, the rain started pouring down loudly. I wondered if Jacob was home yet. I hoped he was out of this weather. I felt my cheeks turn hot after that thought. _Never_ had I hoped a guy was home safe and out of dangerous weather. I had only known Jacob a couple of days and he had already changed the way I acted and thought, without even trying. _This is crazy_, I thought, though accepted it. The things I felt for Jake, were by far better than the things I used to feel towards guys: hate, distrust, wariness . . . and those were just to list a few of the things I felt. But with Jake, it was like he had completely erased those things. I felt light. I felt free, thanks to him.

Even with the rain now coming down even harder than before and the lightning flashing with the thunder crashing, it was steamy and warm outside. I loved this weather. I smiled and randomly broke out dancing on the veranda like there was music going. I only stopped when I saw Charlie's black car coming down the driveway and flushed red. I hated it when people caught me dancing. I was embarrassed by it. I couldn't dance for my life, though it didn't stop me from trying when no one was looking.

I quickly went inside and hoped he hadn't noticed my dancing. Washing my hands, I started to get dinner on when Charlie came inside with the groceries in hand. He started packing them away.

"Have a good day, Bella?" he asked with an even tone.

"Yeah thanks." I washed off a carrot and began chopping it, as Charlie kept on unpacking everything.

"Did you get a surprise seeing the lights and all?" he then asked, sounding as though he wasn't too sure about bringing it up.

"Yeah I did. It actually feels a little more like Christmas now," I turned around smiling. "Why did you put them up this year? You don't usually bother with it at all."

He sighed, sitting down in the old wooden table and chair set in the middle of the kitchen floor. "Seeing you with Jake, made me realise just how much you're growing up." Charlie smiled slightly. I could tell he wasn't so comfortable about showing his feelings and speaking what he thought and felt. I knew him enough to know that anyway, even without the obvious signs. "I thought I'd better make the most of the holidays while I'll have you. I realise you're growing up and will be going off on your own soon enough."

I smiled to myself. Finally Charlie had realised the real meaning of holidays – spending time together. I turned around to face him, sitting on the wooden chair. "Thanks," I smiled.

I awoke in the morning to my phone buzzing on the bedside table. It was still a little dark outside, though morning was breaking slowly. There was a faint light shining through my window. I kept my eyes closed for a moment, waking up and listening around the house for any sound. It was no longer raining and I couldn't hear Charlie in the house. _He must have gone out to work already_, I thought. Hearing my phone buzz again, I leaned onto my side and grabbed the phone, flipping it open to see a message from Jacob.

_Morning Beautiful. _

_Want to go riding with me today? _

_Jake x_

I smiled seeing his text, thinking how sweet it was and quickly wrote back a reply.

_Of course. I'd love to._

_Bella x_

_I'll pick you up in an hour then_, he quickly wrote back in a matter of seconds. I squealed in excitement and jumped out of bed and over to my cupboard, pulling out and throwing some clothes from the draws. I settled on a black tee shirt with golden glitter going around the neckline of it and a pair of jeans. I grabbed my old black boots and pulled them on. I knew the day was going to be by far too hot to wear them, but it wasn't like I could wear thongs riding a motorbike and call it safe.

Having a quick breakfast of eggs, I ran back into my room and grabbed my black leather jacket, just in case. Sometimes, when it rained in the Blue Mountains, it turned cold. The weather could also be unpredictable at times too.

Going out to the veranda, I stood waiting five minutes and then checked the time on my phone. It had been an hour since Jake had texted and when I looked up into the driveway, after hearing a noise, there he was, driving his green, silver and black motorbike down the driveway, wearing a black tank-top, dark-grey-jeans and a black helmet. I could feel my knees going weak just looking at him.

The tank-top he wore was tight and showing every muscle in his torso. How was I supposed to ride a bike when he was dressed so sexily? I'd be lucky if I didn't end up crashing into a tree by the end of the day with how he was dressed. Now I kind of understood why guys freaked out whenever they saw a girl in a swimsuit or something hot or tight.

Jacob lifted the visor of his helmet. Seeing his dark chocolate eyes, warm russet skin and then hearing his voice made me melt all the more. "Hey Bells, you ready?" he asked and took off his helmet, flashing a bright smile in my direction.

"Uh, yeah," I squeaked nodding. It was hard to think between the heat of summer and Jacob. . . God didn't he know how he dressed, affected the female population? He had to know. Didn't he? Maybe he was one of those innocent guys who just dressed how they liked and didn't actually know how they were affecting other people around them . . . yeah that _had_ to be it. I knew Jake wasn't one of those guys who dressed to impress.

"You alright Bells?" Jake asked, sitting up straight on his bike, looking at me with concern.

"Ah yeah fine," I answered, a little _too_ quickly. "Why?"

"You look a little red and hot. You don't have heat stroke do you? You feel okay?"

I knew I looked redder after he had asked, as I felt my cheeks flush a bright red. I didn't understand why though. He had only asked if I was okay. . . And also sad that I looked hot, though I knew he didn't mean sexy hot, he made me think it. _Get a hold of yourself Bella Swan! _I swallowed hard and walked down the veranda steps and down to where Jake's bike was idling quietly. He smiled crookedly, holding my gaze.

"You sure you're okay? You didn't answer me."

"Oh yeah, just still waking up and all," I lied and faked a yawn.

Jacob snickered. "Not a morning person, huh?" he asked in an odd tone, which was almost cocky.

"Not always," I truthfully admitted, flushing a little more, before hearing Jake chuckle quietly. "I'm guessing we're taking your bike to your place then?"

He smirked crookedly. "Yup," he said proudly. "Is that okay?"

Nodding, I stepped over to the side of it, trying to work out how to get on. I couldn't say it was a smile bike. Even compared to Jacob, it looked massive and he wasn't a small person himself. I thought he'd be around five-foot-ten, maybe six-foot tall.

Swinging a leg over the other side, he jumped off the bike and lifted the seat, grabbing another helmet from inside the bike. This helmet was white. "Here, put that on," he smiled, handing it to me and got back on, pulling on his helmet as I did mine.

I got on the bike and wrapped my arms around Jacob's waist. I could feel his rippled stomach under my arms and hands. I resisted running my hands over them like I craved to do so. My mind began to wonder, wondering what Jake looked like without anything on. I shook my head, shaking that visual out of my head as the bike started to roll forward. I clutched to Jacob tightly as he got out onto the road. I really didn't like motorbikes. Mum had always said they were death traps!

"Are you alright, back there Bella?" he shouted over the engine of the bike and the wind blowing around us.

"Yeah," I nodded, shouting back. I had to say I enjoyed the feeling of the warmish air flowing around us and through my hair hanging out the helmet. If it wasn't for the speed of the bike, I would have loved the ride. I closed my eyes and leaned into Jacob's back, before I knew it, he was slowing down and turning a corner. Slowly I looked up and saw a small and old red brick house with a short dirt driveway leading up to the front door. There was a medium sized steel shed across from the house. Jacob's ute was pulled up in the driveway, just past the house. The land looked dry. There was more ground showing than grass.

He cut the engine of the bike and took off his helmet as I did. I got off the bike. My legs felt like jelly. Turning around, Jacob chuckled. "You haven't ridden a motorbike before, have you?"

"A few times, years ago," I admitted, turning red in cheeks.

"Good thing we can't do motorcross day, then," Jacob exhaled.

I looked up at him confused. "What did you bring me here for, then?"

"I told you, riding." He started to lead the way around the side of the house, where I saw a black-roan horse with black legs and mane, tied up. There were flecks of white going through its coat. I gushed at the horse. It was so beautiful. It was already saddled up in tan coloured gear.

Jake went over to its side, patting the horse as it leaned around him, as if to hug him. There was a loving look in the horse's blue eyes as it looked at Jacob.

"What's it name?" I murmured, walking up to them both, very slowly.

"His name is Star, for the white star on his forehead," Jacob smiled, and then noticed how nervous I was acting. "You don't like horses?"

"I do, but they just seem so big," I swallowed hard, standing behind Jacob, just in case. "You never told me we would be _horse_ riding."

"Don't worry. Star won't hurt you. Just walk up to him slowly and put your hand out to him slowly."

I stared at Jacob for a moment, scared, but did as he had told me. Star took a step to the side, towards me and I stopped. He took another step and placed his nose right in the palm of my hand and looked straight into my eyes. I felt as though his eyes were more human than animal. They were so expressive, soft and kind.

"See, he likes you."

"You, really think so?" I looked back up at Jacob, keeping my hand on Star's nose. It felt so soft, like silk, almost.

"He only does that to people he likes. If he didn't like you, he would have turned around and gave you the arse," he chuckled. I couldn't help but giggle and turned back to Star, smiling.

* * *

><p>Hey guys,<p>

Sorry this chapter was a little late to usual. I got busy through the week so I couldn't do much.

Hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I made it a little longer to the rest. Keep those awesome reviews coming in! I love hearing all your thoughts, and look forward to reading them all.

Another chapter up very soon!

- Sky x


	7. A Slithering Surprise Part 1

Hey guys,

I am so sorry for not updating in months! I've had a few things go on and then I heard about the deleting M stories so I didn't want to post then and get mine pulled off. I'm going to be updating my stories a lot more from now on.

Hope you guys can forgive me.

Love you all, hope you all enjoy this chapter. Don't forget to review!

- Sky x

* * *

><p>Star's bright blue eyes gazed into mine. He seemed so calm and loving for such a huge animal. I haven't ever been this close to a horse before. I had been too scared when I was younger, to even get up or near a Shetland pony.<p>

But there was just something about Star, which made me relax around him. They say horses could feel what you could feel, so if you were scared and nervous, they would be too, but in this case, it seemed to be the other way around. Star, was calming me.

"So, do you still want to go riding with me?" Jacob asked, patting Star down the neck as he looked at me in question.

Taking in a deep breath to calm myself, I nodded. "Alright, but what do you ride? Or what do I ride?" Turning around quickly, I searched for another horse for Jacob or me, but I couldn't see one. Hearing Jacob snickering lightly, I turned around to see what was so funny.

"You didn't notice there was something wrong with the saddle, Bella?"

"Uh," I fell red once again in the cheeks as I looked at it. . . "I don't know. I've never seen one before."

"Seriously?" Jacob stared at me in disbelief. I nodded, embarrassed. "It's a double seat, western saddle. I can ride up front and control Star while you just hang on if you want, or you can ride up front?" he smiled. "It's your choice."

"Uh, I think you better, ride up front first, Jacob. I've never ridden before," I answered in a nervous tone, stuttering slightly while running my hand over my arm, trying to distract myself.

"Okay. That's fine. Just take a step back for a second," he said and made two clicking sounds with his mouth. I watched Jake, wondering what he was doing and then stared at Star as he lay down before our feet. My jaw dropped and my eyes widened.

"Is he okay? Why is he doing that?"

Jacob chuckled. "I taught him to do that. My dad, he can't really get around that easily lately, so I taught Star to lie down so dad could still go riding, too."

I shook my head, still looking down at Star in amazement. I didn't even know horses could do things like tricks, other than carry people on their back and rearing into the air, let alone something like this on command. "You're like an Animal Whisperer, Jacob."

"Thanks," he smiled another one of those bright, knee weakening smiles of his. My nerves had felt like mush before that smile. . . They were non-existent now. . . "Come over here, and I'll help you get on."

Carefully walking around Jacob, he showed me how to get on Star as he stayed still while lying down. Jacob got on after I did and peered over his shoulder to me. I was biting my lip hard, hating only having a horn of a saddle to hold onto. I felt safer after Jake had gotten on, too, though. Somehow, even know we were still strangers, I did trust Jacob completely. I had never trusted a stranger like I trusted Jacob. I wondered what it meant . . . How could, I trust someone so quickly, like I had? And how, when they hadn't really proven to me they deserved my trust?

"Wrap your arms around me tightly, Bella. He's going to stand up now," Jake said, looking over his shoulder again.

My eyes went wide. "Stand up?"

"Relax, it'll be okay."

Closing my eyes tightly. My arms wrapped around Jake's waist in an iron grip. I wouldn't have been surprised if Jacob told me to loosen up a bit, just so he could breathe, but he didn't.

Instead, he made another clicking sound with his mouth and Star rose to his feet. I screamed and held Jacob tighter, like my life depended on it. It felt like hours until it was over, but it had been second. Thank god, I thought, sighing silently.

"See, wasn't so bad," Jacob chuckled.

"Uh yeah . . . not that bad at all," I murmured sarcastically glancing down at the ground for a spilt second. My grip tightened around Jacob's waist again. Star was too tall for my liking.

"Relax Bella. He's not going to do anything," Jacob said confidently, running his hand over the back of my own. "We're going to go only as fast as you want to go. I promise, I won't push you," he smiled softly, making Star walk out as I nodded.

"Okay," my voice squeaked, peering over Jacob's shoulder to where we were going. Star had already walked past the house and was lazily walking down a small hill into a paddock. The once green grass, now a dusty brown, crunched loudly under his feet. The flies buzzed around us and would have landed on my shoulder, if I didn't wave them away. I never knew bugs could be so annoying. . .

I could hear Star's tail swishing behind me as he walked, shooing the flies away as well. I sighed contently, leaning into Jacob's back. I had to say, this was kind of nice and relaxing. At least Star was just content to walk slowly for us. The last thing I wanted was to go fast, on an animal I didn't even really know. I still felt like I was sitting up too high though. I hated heights. Whenever I told someone that, they asked how I could stand flying in a plane. The answer was simple: I didn't look out the window often. As long as I knew that I couldn't fall, I was usually okay with heights.

I felt Jacob cover my hand with his own, as I leaned into him more. "You okay, Bella?" he asked, twisting his fingers with my own. I smiled. "Yeah I'm fine. Maybe we can, go a little, faster?" I swallowed, thinking I was going to regret saying that the second I had spoken it.

"Alright," Jake smiled. "Don't worry, Star is a slow trotter. Just tell me when, okay?"

I nodded, my grip around Jake increasing slightly. I hardly even felt Star pick up pace until I felt a stronger breeze flowing around my face and hair. My eyes opened to see a flat paddock around us as Star slowly and softly trotted. It like he was running on air then on the ground. I didn't feel any jolt as his hooves hit the hard dirt of the paddock. It was just slow and easy moving – almost like, trotting was more than Star's second nature.

I started giggling, actually enjoying myself. I could see Jacob was smiling too. The sun was shining down upon us strongly, along with the heat. The warmish cool air flowed around Jake and I as we went a little faster yet again. I couldn't stop laughing for some reason. Everything just felt perfect. I could hear the birds in the trees as we passed, see kangaroos look up at us from eating grass and some cockatoos fly off from the trees overhead and into the blue sky above.

For once, since we had started riding, I leant my face into Jacob's back and hugged him instead of just holding on for dear life. I felt safe around Star now. I didn't feel like I was going to fall off or that he was too tall. I wondered if that was because of Jacob or if I had just gotten used to Star, very quickly. I smiled to myself, thinking it was most likely the mix of them both.

"Where are we going?" I laughed, looking over Jacob's shoulder again to see a small river ahead of us.

"Anywhere you want Bella," he answered cheerfully. I could tell he was smiling.

I pointed towards the river. "It looks pretty."

"Alright," Jacob nodded, slowing Star's trot to a quick, jig-jogging walk. Even from metres away, I could see the crystal clear water sparkling in the sunlight breaking through the gumtree shadows. Rocks and trees lined most of the river's banks. I could hear crickets and frogs singing around the river and red-brown butterflies flying through the glass nearby.

I stood up in the stirrups of the saddle and closed my eyes, smiling as I took in a deep breath of the fresh and crisp air. It smelt like summer. I loved the smell of the hot grass in the heat of the sun. Everyone back home didn't understand what I meant when I said I loved the smell of the burnt summer grass. They all thought it would be a horrible smell, like what you got when you mowed the lawns, but they had to be here to really know what I meant and what it smelt and felt like.

I could feel Jacob's eyes on me as Star slowed his walk again. I sat down just as he stopped and pulled his head down to graze on the grass. Jacob jumped off with ease and offered his hand to me. Taking it, I swung my leg over the saddle jumped down; almost falling once my feet had hit the ground, if Jake hadn't caught me in his arms. I looked up at his face and smiled with my cheeks flushed once more. He smiled back, making my knees turn to jelly again. I would never know or understand how he had that effect on me.

I giggled for no reason what so ever, standing on my own. I looked down at Star grazing on the grass. "Will he be okay here? Won't he run off?"

Jacob had begun heading down towards the river. He stopped hearing me and turned towards where I stood. "Yeah he won't move much. He's a good boy doing that when I'm out. He's content just to stand around."

I smiled looking back at Star and started following Jacob down to the river. I froze where I stood when I heard what he spoke next.

"Just watch out for snakes."

"Snakes?" I echoed with a shriek. I hadn't even thought about them. Jacob looked back at me, hearing my squeak of a scream.

"Bella, relax. You can see them around this grass. It's just around the rocks you need to watch out. Here," he offered his hand to me yet again. Sheepishly and hesitantly, I took it and nodded, staying beside Jacob as he led the way.

Just near the rocks I cool feel the hot temperature cool down about, five degrees. It felt so nice under the shade of the trees, as I sat up on a bolder of a rock beside Jacob, looking up at the branches of the gumtrees hovering over us. I could hear the soft and relaxing trickle of the water flowing over the small rocks downstream and near us.

Carefully Jacob stood on the boulder and went down beside the river, peering down into the crystal clear water. He offered his hand to me once more as I crawled over the slippery rock. I could see the waterweed growing around the sides of the river where fish swam out of hiding and down the river in a blink of an eye. I didn't even really get a chance to see what kind of fish they were.

I could see a bubble nest some frog must have made where the water was stiller in a V shape, between two rocks. In the bubbly white nest, I could see some little black dots that must have been the tadpoles. Looking closer into the water, I could see more black dots with black tails, swimming around. Some of the eggs had hatched the tadpoles and they were staying close to the nest. I smiled seeing them and looked to Jacob, who was also staring down at the scene.

"Cool huh?" he murmured quietly.

"Yeah, very," I whispered. "How long, until they'll be frogs?"

"It appends on what species they are. Could be anywhere from days to months. Going by the size of them right now, I say about three months or something like that."

"That's so cool," I smiled, noticing how the nest of bubbles had been built on a small clump of weed, half in, half out of the water. I hadn't seen anything like it before, back home. I guessed there were fewer frogs in Forks due to the cooler weather.

Sitting back against the warm boulder, I started up at the sky and trees hovering over us. I could see dragonflies flying over us and down to the river's edge before they disappeared again. A cockatoo flew out of its perch and into the distance. I could see out north, the sky was turning dark with clouds. No doubt there was a storm coming. I sighed seeing it. I didn't want to go home. I was enjoying my time with Jake. It was so relaxing by the river and cooler without been cold.

I hadn't noticed when Jacob had gotten up and had begun slowly and carefully walking off, over the rocks further up the stream, until I heard him quietly though excitedly say, "whoa cool! Bella come and have a look at this."

I sat up on my elbows, looking at him staring into a hallowed out hole in a gumtree. "What is it?"

"Come have a look. Quick though or you'll miss it."

I stood to my feet and watched where I stepped so I wouldn't fall into the water. I was sure it would be cold, even on a boiling day like today. Reaching Jacob's side, his arm wrapped around my waist so I couldn't fall back if I lost my balance while standing on one narrow rock holding the two of us. He pointed into the hallowed out hole of the tree. I gasped and smiled widely seeing it and looked back to him.


	8. A Slithering Surprise Part 2

I stayed quiet while watching the parrot chicks hatching out of their eggs, in the nest made out of grass, twigs, horse hair and some old leaves of the gumtree. They had very few feathers of blue, green, orange and red. Their little eyes were barely open. They moved slowly as they broke their way out of the egg shells. Jacob held me closely as we watched together. I couldn't stop smiling or pry my eyes away from the incredible show. I hadn't seen birds hatch before. So many things today, I was seeing and doing I hadn't ever tried or seen before. It felt amazing.

Once the little chicks were hatched, they started calling for their mother. Jake squeezed my shoulder lightly and looked down to my face. "C'mon, lets' let them be now. I'm sure their mother is watching us and wanting to go to them with some food," he murmured, with another sweet smile.

I nodded, peering up at them once more before taking a step away. Jacob kept my hand in his as I lead the way up stream and away from the little nest. As we sat down where we had been before, I looked up to see two parrots with the same colours as the chicks, fly into the nest. I knew it must have been the chick's mother and father.

"That was pretty awesome. I've never seen birds hatch out before," Jacob said, lying back on the boulder beside me.

I looked at him to see he was staring at the tree with the nest in it, and smiled. He was so down to earth. I hadn't met anyone as down to earth as Jacob. He just had a certain feeling about him that could light up anyone on the worst of days. He was always so smiley and cheery, spite his past with what had happened to his mother. It must have been horrible. I sighed silently at the thought. I didn't know how anyone could move on from something like that. It must have been hell for him at the time.

"Neither have I," I replied softly, smiling again.

"So, when do you have to go back, home?" he asked, in a softer, sad voice.

I hadn't even thought about going back home once since I had met him. To be honest, I didn't think I wanted to go back home. I felt like I belonged, here, with Jacob. Surely my mother could look after herself without my assistance and advice. She had before I was born, after all.

"By the end of January," I answered after a minute.

"Oh. . . I guess I better make the most of the time we have left, then. . ." He sat up and cupped the side of my face with his warm and smooth hand. I smiled against his plump and hot lips as they brushed over mine. My hand lay on the back of his neck, threading through his short black hair as he sealed the kiss. I breathed in his strong, musky scent and smiled mentally, leaning up on Jacob as his arms wrapped around my back, bringing me closer to his body. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest and hear my pulse in my ears. I licked his lower lip and tasted the musky scent I loved so much. I sighed contently in his mouth as he deepened the kiss, pulling my body closer to his. I loved how we felt together, in each other's arms. It was like we were made for one and other. It just felt so right, so perfect. I couldn't have asked for anything more than what I already had with Jake. . .

"I love you so much Jacob," I whispered against his lips.

"I love you too, Bella," he smiled and pulled away, laying back against the boulder like we had been before. I felt slightly disappointed when Jacob broke off the kiss, but guessed maybe it was a good thing he had stopped when he had. I could feel I was becoming slightly too confident and trusting in him, the longer we kissed. Still, I loved feeling his arms around my waist, holding me. He made me feel things I had never felt before I had met him: strong, confident, loved. . .

Jacob turned his head and caught my gaze with a smile. I felt his hand take mine as he kept on holding my gaze. His smile then suddenly disappeared and worry flashed over his face. I was about to question him on what was wrong, when he slowly sat up and said, "Bella, stay still," in a soft voice, as though he was trying not to scar me or something else he could see.

"W-why?" I stuttered, looking him in the eye as he stood to his feet.

"Just don't move," he murmured.

I bit my lip nervously, wondering what the hell was going on. I just wished Jacob would tell me! Thinking about it though, I came to realise if he wasn't saying what it was, maybe it was because I'd freak and only make things worse for the both of us. I took in a deep and silent breath, closing my eyes for a moment. My heart was beating rapidly, like it was telling me to run for it as I felt adrenaline starting to pump through my veins and the urge to move increase with every second that passed.

"Bella, get up and away from this rock on three, and do _not_ move until then," Jacob said in a low though deep tone of voice. I nodded biting my lip hard, taking in another deep breath to calm myself to think and react quickly enough.

"One . . . two . . . three!"

I sat up quickly hearing a loud hiss as I moved, though I didn't look back over my shoulder to see what had caused it. Getting away from the rock quickly was hard when it was so slippering. Just when I was about to step onto the next one, something sharp grabbed my wrist and pierced it.

I gasped as the heated pain shot through my wrist and made the mistake of looking back to see what had caused it. I screamed seeing the snake which had bitten me, being thrown into the river by Jacob. I feel to my knees, suddenly feeling weak.

"Bella, Bella, I go you," I heard him speak huskily and then felt his warm arm around my shoulders as I leaned into his side. I glimpsed up at his face, noticing he was now shirtless. _Why was he shirtless?_ I thought, murmuring Jacob's name as I felt my wrist being moved.

"Ow," I winced into him.

"Sorry Bella. I'm tying your arm up so the venom won't spread as quickly. You're going to be okay Bella. Just keep calm alright? I'm not going anywhere." I felt his hand lightly brush along my cheek. I nodded, feeling the tightness of his shirt around my wrist. It felt too tight. . .

"Can you stand Bella?" he murmured, keeping his arm around my waist.

I nodded. "I think so." I tried and the ground went around me in a blur of spinning. Thankfully Jake's arm was still around my back so he stopped my fall. "Hey I got ya, Bells," he said calmly, and then suddenly, there was no floor under my feet. All I felt were his arms around my body and light jolts as he walked. "I'm going to get you some help," he whispered. "Just keep talking to me alright? How do you feel?"

"Dizzy and hot . . . My wrist stings. . ." I muttered into his warm chest. I was barely aware of where I was and what was happening. All I knew was Jacob's presence was somewhere close. I couldn't think where I was, what had happened or what he was doing. Just having Jake there though, helped. I was calm to the point of just being content to be in his arms, but at the same time, scared, but the fear was in the back of my mind. It was distant, like everything else I heard, felt or thought. I believed his words though. I was going to be okay. . .

Hearing Jacob make the sound clicking noise as I had heard earlier, I tried to think what it mean. All I could remember though, was that it had something to do with Star, but I couldn't remember what or who Star was. I couldn't think and it felt as though I kept blacking out for seconds at a time. I kept hearing Jacob's voice speaking, but the things he was saying made no sense. It was like turning over the radio to an interview and listening to it for a second and then changing the station again before going back to the interview and not knowing what had been said during the time you had flicked through the stations.

"Jacob," I murmured, so low I was surprise he had heard. My good arm wrapped around his neck for a moment before I felt something under my feet and around my lower waist and legs. I could still feel Jacob's arms around my middle as I heard the clicking sound once more.

"W-what's happening?"

"It's just Star standing up Bells. We're heading back to the house. I'm here. I won't leave you."

I nodded leaning into his body, too weak to answer. I hadn't ever thought a snake bite could affect someone so quickly. I thought its affects would happen over hours, not seconds. . . Now I knew why they said Australia was so dangerous. I hadn't ever seen a snake back home. I had only ever seen them on TV or photos of them on the internet.

I could hear Jacob speaking to me as Star quickly headed towards the house, but his voice was slowly becoming distant, like an echo traveling through the mountains. I no longer felt the heat of the sun, but the coldness of the breeze. Somewhere along the line, I blacked out completely. I didn't hear or feel anything for what felt like days. The first thing I could hear when I started to wake; was the beeping of some kind of machine. I then felt a bright light shining down upon me and the coolness of another light breeze.

I lifted my hand to shelter my eyes from the bright light and winced as I felt something sharp sticking into the back of it. Trying to open my eyes, I went to pull off whatever that was sticking into me when a light and warm hand caught my wrist.

With my eyes still half blurry from being out to it and adjusting to the light, I looked up to the face which had caught my wrist as they focused. Jacob. It was Jacob. I tried to think where I was and why he was here with me, but my mind came up blank. It felt foggy and dazed.

"Are you alright Bella?" he asked in a feather light tone, full of worry and concern.

My eyes didn't stray away from his face to see the IV in my hand, which he had stopped me from pulling out, or the IV pole beside the bed, along with the heart and blood-pressure monitors that beeped every now and then. My wrist also stung. I could feel a bandage around it, but I still couldn't think why. What had happened? Had I fallen off of Star and bumped my head, somehow? Or was this just a dream? I knew my first thought couldn't be right, as my head didn't hurt, it just felt heavy.

"You were bitten by a snake. You're in the hospital Bella. They've given you antivenom. You're going to be fine. How do you feel?" His hand softly ran down my cheek just as both the heart and blood-pressure monitors went off on a beeping fest. I could my cheeks burning hot. Jacob snickered quietly with a smile.

"A little dizzy," I murmured. A flash of an image came to me, hearing one of things he had said to me while riding Star back to the house. "You brought me here?" I croakily whispered, hold his dark gaze.

He nodded looking down to my hand as he carefully took it, making sure not to bump the IV. His hands were so warm against my cold skin. "I couldn't wait for your father to come," he answered. "He's still on his way here."

"How long have I been out?"

"Six hours," he looked up to meet my gaze. I could see in Jacob's eyes that he was upset. I could read everything he was feeling, just by his eyes, even when he was trying to hide it like now. "I thought I was too late Bella, even the nurses and doctors thought I was, too. I could never lose you Bella . . . and I know it sounds so stupid when we hardly know each other, but I love you too much to lose you," he murmured.

I smiled sheepishly, feeling tears starting to over follow after hearing him. I leaned up and wrapped my arms around his neck, ignoring the stabbing pain in my hand as I did so. I had never known anyone, even my own mother, to care and love me as much as I felt Jacob did.


	9. Camping Trip

When Charlie finally arrived at nine o'clock at night, he was full of questions and was almost yelling at Jacob for being so reckless to have been around a river in summer in the first place. But after a while, thankfully, Jake was able to calm him down enough to explain everything.

After a week of being in the hospital, I was more than glad to get out. I had more than enough of sitting in bed doing nothing but reading magazines, eating, talking to visitors and watching TV – it just wasn't for me.

Every day, while I was in hospital Jake stayed by my side. He never left, even in the night. I leaned over the side of the bed most nights when I couldn't sleep and watched him sleeping. He looked so innocent while sleeping. It brought a smile to my face. Jacob was the sunlight of my days. He could always make a smile come to my face when I was down, no matter how down I felt.

All too quickly, a month passed by. Jacob took me riding on Star through the Blue Mountains many times. I got to meet Billy, Jake's father, and quickly came to learn to what Jake meant by his father had issues getting around. Billy was in a wheelchair. I felt sorry for him, and somehow Billy seemed to have sensed it. He took my hand and smiled, saying, "don't be." I had to smile at that. He seemed to be so wise and trusting. I almost felt as though he could read what people were feeling and thinking. There was no question to why Jacob had turned out so sweet, caring and wise.

I had a week left with Jacob in Australia and I had to go back to my mother. For the first time, I didn't want to go back home. I felt like I belonged here with Jacob. I felt like I belonged with him, to him. I felt depressed when I thought of leaving Jake's side. I thought maybe that was a sign that I should stay here, with him, but then I thought that my mother needed me, too. My heart was torn, and I was sick of being torn in half. I wished mum would come out here to Australia and live, but I knew she never would.

I sighed as I packed a bag to go camping with Jake for a few days over the weekend. It was raining outside but it was going to clear up – if you could trust anything the weather man on the news predicted.

With the rain, it had turned really cold for summer. At times I thought maybe it could snow, but both Charlie and Billy said that it hadn't snowed in summer for years and years. Their words really didn't convince me. If it had already snowed once before in summer, even if it was years ago, why couldn't it snow again? Men never failed to confuse my mind. . .

The rain battered down upon the roof like hail stones. I went over to my window to make sure that it was in fact rain instead of ice. All I saw were large droplets of rain falling onto the balcony. There was no hail, thankfully, or our camping plans would have been rescheduled.

Going back over to my bed, I zipped up my backpack. It was fat with my sleeping-bag, clothes and everything else I thought I would need for camping. I wasn't too sure what I needed to be honest. . .

I sighed loudly and looked to the photo of Jacob and I concealed by a pine photo frame. I picked it up and wrapped my arms around it as I flopped back on the mattress of my bed. I really didn't want to go back home. There wasn't anything there for me apart from my mother. I could tell Jacob didn't want me to go back either. Whenever I mentioned home, he seemed to turn sad. He never admits it, but he didn't have to. I could see it in his eyes.

Within that moment, I scowled at myself for even ever meeting Jacob Black. _This is what boys do to you!_ I thought. _Somehow they only ever end up hurting you! _I shouldn't have been so stupid for getting so wound up in everything that was Jacob, in the first place. Even if he didn't mean to hurt me this way, he had. And was my entire fault, because I allowed him to do all this. . . It was just so hard to say no to anything Jacob suggested or said.

I peered down at the photo in my arms as tears had begun to blur my vision. I loved Jacob so much, but it was all for nothing. How could I lead him on like this, only to end up hurting us both? He didn't deserve it! I did. He already had enough pain in his life as it was. I should have thought before even getting to know Jacob! I was so selfish!

I reached over and placed the photo back on the bedside table with the picture face down to the pine wood. I turned onto my side and curled up into a ball until I cried myself to sleep. What felt like hours later, I heard my phone going off loudly. I reached out to grab it and answered it with a groggy, tone.

"Hello?"

"Hey Bella you ready to go?" Jacob asked in a high pitched and excited voice. He could act like such a kid at times.

I sighed quietly, rolling over onto my back. "Hey, yeah Jake I am. You can come and pick me up when you want kay?"

"Kay. Are you okay?"

"Yeah I'm fine. See you later." I hung up and placed my phone back onto the dressing table.

Sighing again, I sat up and went into the bathroom. I took a quick shower and pulled my hair into a pony tail. By the time I was dressed and ready, I could hear a vehicle outside and I could see Jacob in his ute from the window I stood at.

I smiled slightly and grabbed my bag from the bed. Pulling my jacket's hood over my head, I met Jacob at the door with pulling it open. He was about to knock. Jake smiled brightly like always. I could feel my cheeks instantly lighting up red.

"Afternoon, Bella," he murmured as his arms wrapped around my waist and pulled me into his body. I looked up to Jacob's face, feeling my own boiling hot. He smiled crookedly, cockily, though his eyes are soft and gentle, like melted chocolate. Sheepishly, I smiled back and wrapped my arms around Jake's neck as his lips pressed to mine. His mouth is warm and soft against my own. It sends a chill down my spine. I hadn't noticed I was cold until I felt his touch. Every nerve in my body was paying attention to everything he was doing to me. His kiss was soft, loving and tender. He never rushed a kiss. It was always slow and sweet. His lips moved with grace against my own as he slowly pulled away and smirked.

"We better get going unless you want to be putting up tents in the dark," he snickered, taking my hand as I closed the door behind us. Jacob led the way through the rain and to his ute, where he held the door open for me. I smiled at him and hopped in, feeling the burn of the cold weather against my still hot cheeks. A shiver went down my spine with feeling the difference in temperature between being outside and inside the ute.

Jacob drove out my driveway and out past the house, heading deeper into the Blue Mountains. The daylight was turning dim early with the rain and clouds hovering over-head. After a while, Jake pulled up by the road and cut the engine. He grabbed our bags before I could even think to grab my own, and got out. He once again helped me out of the ute and took my hand as he led the way up a small hill. We passed a river and went over another. It was about half an hour later before he stopped. I had begun to wonder where we were going and when we were going to stop. It was just on dark and you could hear all the sounds of the bush: birds calling out, frogs croaking by the river as the rain kept pattering down, and crickets loudly chirping away, to the point they were almost hurting my ears. I had never heard them so loud before.

I smiled looking to Jacob seeing him unpacking a massive tent. "Hey Bell, can you get the hammer and tent pegs, please," he smiled sweetly.

"Sure." How could I resist that smile?

I went over to his backpack and felt inside it for the cold steel of the head of the hammer or the length of the tent pegs. I felt them both at the same time and grabbed them. By the time I had stood to my feet, Jacob already had the tent standing. I handed him a peg and then the hammer. He leaned down and started bashing away until the pen was right into the ground. I then handed him another, one at a time until all four pegs were in use.

"There, done," Jake murmured to himself. He went over to his bag to grab something else.

"How are we going to have a fire if the rain has dampened all the wood?" I questioned, having only gone camping a few times before in the summer when I was younger, not that I could remember much of the experiences. . .

"I got some dry fire wood from home. Don't worry Bella, we'll be warm."

I can't help but smirk. "And even if we're not, we can warm each other up," I hint, running my hand down the side of his neck as I grab my bag and take it into the tent. I glanced at Jacob before going inside. His expression looked slightly confused. I smirked again and shook my head.

In the tent, I grab my bag and pull the sleeping bag out, only to look up and see Jacob had already placed an extra-large one in the middle of the tent, big enough for two people. I smiled slightly, feeling my cheeks turning red again. _Why hadn't I thought of that sooner?_ I roll my sleeping bag back up and place it in the corner of the tent anyway.

It's roomy inside the tent, big enough for four or more people to comfortably move around in. I could hear the sound of the rain falling heavily down on the tent outside. The sound is almost deafening. It was warm in the tent though, which was good. One thing I defiantly didn't like was being freezing cold, but I was sure that wasn't going to happen with Jacob around. As I turned around, I saw a bright light in the corner of the tent. It was some kind of lamp that was radiating heat as well as light. _Jacob had to have put it in here_, I thought.

The flap of the tent rose up as Jake came in and put his bag by the door and zipped us in. He took his wet jacket off and hung it over his bag to dry. Thinking about it, I did the same thing with my own jacket.

"I couldn't get the fire to work. The rain put it out the second the match lit," he said shivering. I touched his cheek and felt just how icy cold and wet it was.

"Get dry Jacob, before you catch a cold," I demand, yanking my hand back.

He smirked slightly and grabbed the lamp, placing it between the two of us. He put his face right up to it as his eyes close for a moment and then sat back. His cheeks had turned rosy red from the heat of the lamp. The bright orange light was reflecting into his dark brown eyes, they almost look black in the light. It was almost dark outside, and only the corner of the tent where we sat, was lit up.

Jacob leaned over and pulled his backpack to his side. Rampaging through it, he pulled out two sandwiches and handed me one.

"Here, its turkey and ham. I thought it'd be good if we couldn't cook anything," he smiles.

"Thanks," I whispered, leaning into Jacob's side as I took the sandwich and unwrapped the plastic from around it. His arm went around my waist as we ate in peace, just listening to the rain outside. I felt warm, protected, safe and comfortable next to Jacob like this. I smiled and finished the sandwich. Surprisingly, it filled my stomach up more than I thought it would. I yawned, suddenly feeling tired.

Jacob's fingers stroked my cheek as he looked down to me smirking. "The night time light playing around with your body-clock huh?"

I nodded, yawning once more. I curled into Jacob's side as he grabbed my sleeping bag and pulled it around my body. Smiling, I thought of how wonderfully caring Jacob was to me. I had to be one of the luckiest girls in the world to have found someone like him.

I could hear Jake get into his own sleeping bag and then I felt the warmth of his arms wrap around my waist again. I could feel his head resting on my shoulder as I slowly drifted to sleep, hearing the rain falling outside. I couldn't think of a better way to fall asleep, than with someone I cared so much for, such as Jacob. . .

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><p>Thank you so much for all your reviews and support on the last two chapters guys. I really appreciate it. Hope this chapter was alright, I caught myself writing in the wrong tense during the middle of it, but I tried to edit it all out.<p>

Thanks for reading!

Love you all!

- Sky xo


	10. Chilly Summer Nights

Through the middle of the night, I awoke to my teeth chattering violently. My eyes flashed open to the very dim light of the heat lamp sitting in the far corner of the large tent. I really couldn't say it was a _heat_ lamp now as I wasn't feeling one bit of it. The sound of the ranging wind outside echoed through the bushlands, sending more chills down my spine. My arms wrapped around my body in tempt to get warm but it didn't seem to be doing anything. I was too cold.

I looked up to the roof and left side of the tent as I heard something hitting it. I bit my lip in worry. It sounded like rain hitting the tent, but at the same time, it wasn't making the right sound for rain. What was going on out there?

I glanced over at Jacob still asleep but then he seemed to have heard it to. His eyes opened as he yawned and sat up.

"What's going on?" he murmured lowly, rubbing his eyes of sleep.

I went to answer by my words were muffled by my chattering teeth. Jacob looked to me and I could see the worry come over his face. His hand reached up to my cheek and the second his skin came into contact with my own, his hand whipped back towards him.

"Bella your freezing!" he exclaimed.

I rolled my eyes. _Well duh. . ._ _Teeth just don't go chattering away for no reason what so ever. . ._ My cheeks were burning numb with iciness. I cupped my hands around my cheeks and mouth as I blew into them, but it didn't seem to make any difference either.

Jacob unzipped his sleeping bag and quickly took his shirt off. I raised an eye brow at that, wondering how on earth he could be hot in this weather! It made me colder just watching him . . . but then with seeing his beautifully sculptured, chest and stomach, buff and muscular, the sight warmed something within me. I bit my lip again as Jacob caught my gaze.

"Bella, you need to get warm, please."

My eyes narrowed in slight confusion on what exactly he was asking me to do. Stupidly I then realised Jacob wanted to help warm me up again. I struggled out of own sleeping bag with numb cold feet and fingers. I could barely stand for how numb my feet were. I tripped upon the first step and Jacob caught my arm before I could hit the ground. If my cheeks could have turned any redder than they already were, they would have.

Somehow, Jake was able to pull the sleeping bag up around us both. His arms wrapped tightly around my waist as he grabbed his backpack and pulled more blankets around the sleeping bag for me. I rested my head against his chest, amazed at how humanly warm Jake was compared to my own body. I smiled, feeling safe again.

"Just relax Bella," Jacob's voice cooed in a gentle and soft tone as his hand brushed over my cheek. The warmth of his hand alone sent another chill down my spine. My teeth were still uncontrollably chatting away. My jaw was beginning to ache. I was just waiting for my teeth to fall out at any given second – it was a wonder to why they hadn't already. . .

"It'll be morning soon, then we can go home okay?"

I dipped my head further into the sleeping bag. I didn't want to go home just yet. The trip was supposed to last the weekend, not just the night. It was typical of me to spoil anything that was supposed to be a nice time. It seemed to be a developing habit – though I had always seemed to have had this habit, only now it was getting worse.

I listened to Jacob's breathing, his heart beating and the sound of the wind pushing powder like substance against the roof and tent side. Maybe it was snow that was hitting the tent and that was the reason behind why I was so cold. It made sense really.

"H-how a-are y-you . . . s-s-so warm, J-Jake?" I chatter, feeling breathless once I finish speaking. The air felt thick and hard to breathe in.

"Haven't you ever heard that Native Americans are hotter Bella?" Just by Jacob's tone and I can tell he's smirking widely. "In more than just one way, may I add, too?"

I snickered hearing him, smiling as I wrapped my arms around him. "M-mmm t-that's t-true." Having gained some warmth to the tips of my fingers, they slowly ran patterns over Jacob pecks as I lay on top of him, very slowly getting warm.

"Mmm Bells," he murmured, closing his eyes as a smile appeared over his lips. They looked so smooth and plump, even in the dull light. I licked my own and smiled again. Leaning down, I kissed Jacob softly. Even his lips are warm. They melted against my own. I could feel my heart rate starting to pick up as Jacob's left hand rode up from my waist to my shoulder. He deepened and quickened the kiss – he hardly ever kissed me fast, or even slightly fast. His other hand cupped my icy cheek as he sat up on his elbows. I moaned into his mouth as his tongue swept along my lower lip. I took in a deep and shaky breath as a chill of a different kind went through the muscles of my stomach.

Suddenly Jacob turned us over so he was leaning over top of me. I smirked looking into his darkened eyes as he held my own. Slowly, his fingers ran down from my temple to my jaw. His breath was calm and even, unlike my own. I felt warmer like this, with his body pinning my own to the flooring of the tent.

"Bella, what are you thinking?" he murmured, pulling a loose stand of hair behind my ear as he spoke.

I smiled, running my hand from his jaw, down his neck and to his chest. "How much I love you . . . and how much little time we have left together." My eyes had been fixed on Jacob's bare chest as I spoke. I looked up to his face to see the brightness in his eyes disappear completely as he looked away and sighed.

His forehead rested against my own. "I love you too. I wish you would stay here with me." His voice was nothing more than a husky whisper. The warmth of his breath caused Goosebumps to form over my cheeks and neck.

My arm wrapped around his neck as I leaned up on him and kissed Jacob slowly though deeply. He was hesitant at first – it was always him making the first move with a kiss. His arms wrapped around my waist and with that, deepened the kiss. I bit his lower lip and then licked where I had been. I could hear a low moan come from Jake. It made me smirk and feel confident with knowing this was how I made him react to the things I did. I thought I just reacted easily to him, but it didn't seem to be so.

Slowly my hand ran down his chest and caressed his abs. Jake shuddered and pulled away from my touch. He glanced down at my hand just above his jeans and back up to my face. I could tell he was confused by how narrow his eyes were and how close his eye brows were pressed together. He smirked lightly after a few seconds.

"What are you doing, Bells?" he whispered, brushing his lips against my own.

"What do you think I'm doing Jacob?" I bit down my lip while staring up at him.

He smirked crookedly. "Apart from seducing me? I don't really know."

That was all I needed to hear for my confidence to go into over drive. "Absolutely nothing, else," I grinned.

Jacob's eyes came over confused and concerned again as he now bit down on his own lip but let it pass over his teeth. Was he nervous? "Are you sure?"

I nodded. Leaning up, I pressed a kiss to the vein in his neck and lightly nipped his skin. I heard a light moan, I was sure he was trying to compress, escape his mouth. "Yes. I am," I answered.

Jake sighed lightly and softly brushed his lips over my own. My breath hitched in the back of my throat. My hands turned to fists at the back of his neck. I could feel my heart already pumping hard with excitement from everything that was Jacob. He made excitement course through my veins whenever we were together –before I had met him, it was something I had never felt in my life.

Slowly my eyes closed as I relaxed against the warmth of his body. His butterfly like kisses stayed upon my lips, making me feel like jelly in my stomach. Suddenly Jacob pulled away. My eyes were about to open when I gasped, feeling his open mouth kisses on the skin of my neck. His left hand cupped the other side of my neck as his free hand slowly pulled down the zipper to my jacket. Instinctively, my back arched against him without my telling it to.

"Oh Jake," I breathed, threading my fingers through the short strands of his silky hair. His arm slid under my back, lifting me slightly to pull my jacket out from under my weight. As he did so, I felt his lips slowly kissing the hallow of my throat. I gasped at the feeling as chills went through my entire body. _What was he doing to me?_

Softly his teeth grazed my skin, making my nerves pickle and tense. I shuddered, and as I did, I could feel Jacob's lips turn into a smirk against my neck. His hands were at my waist. Slowly I began to feel the helm of my shirt being lifted. I gasped once more feeling his hot hands on my stomach. Jacob's gaze caught my own. He was concerned.

"Is this okay, Bella?" he whispered, kissing me deeply again but in a different sense that I couldn't put my finger on.

Nodding, I took a deep breath in, forcing myself to relax. I had known Jacob long enough to know I could trust him – but that didn't stop the thoughts of what my mother had been through over the years, from playing in the back of my mind.

Slowly, he pulled the shirt from over my head and threw it into the corner of tent along with my bra. I felt my cheeks turn red as he gracefully looked down upon me. When his eyes caught mine, Jacob leaned down and kissed the redness from either one of my cheeks.

"Don't be embarrassed, Bella," he murmured huskily in such a soft and loving tone. "You are beautiful; nothing will ever change that in my eyes."

I could feel myself melt with hearing his words. Jacob always knew what I needed to hear. He made me feel so confident and loved. I actually believed his words, words I wouldn't have ever believed coming from someone else.

His forehead rested against my own as he stared into my eyes. Jake's arms stayed wrapped around me. He lifted my chest to his lips as he slowly and intoxicatingly took my buds into his mouth. My breath caught in the back of my throat as I glanced down upon what he was doing. Jacob smirked and held my gaze as I felt his tongue upon my skin.

"Jake!" I half gasped, half breathed, not being able to help closing my eyes and let my nerves show me what he was doing. He smirked against my skin again and then began to slowly kiss my stomach. The muscles in my stomach tensed tight, forcing a moan out of my lungs.

My breath went from my chest with feeling his hands at the button of my jeans. Slowly he pulled them open and then unzipped them, pulling them down from my hips as he kept kissing my stomach. My mind kept changing thought pattern between what he was doing with his mouth and hands. Soon my jeans joined my jacket and shirt in the corner. I bit my lip and kept my eyes closed, suddenly nervous. Jacob sensed what I was feeling and leaned back over top of my body. His hands stayed at my hips.

He surprised me by softly, tenderly and lovingly kissing my lips again. The kiss may have been soft, but it was passionate and deep at the same time. How could a boy of this age show so much love when he had gone through so much pain?

"I love you Bella," he said so low it was like a sound on the wind. "Please, never forget it or me." His head rested against my own. When my eyes opened, I saw in the dim light of morning, his own were closed and there was water around his lashes. I quickly realised they were tears. I bit my lip, thinking I was being selfish again.

My hand cupped his cheek as my other arm wrapped around his neck. "I never will Jake," I murmured back. "I love you too. I always will."

A small though sad smile came to his lips as his eyes opened and held my own. My hands ran down the sides of his stomach and to his jeans where I quickly undid them and pushed them off his hips. I heard a low and shaky exhaling breath come from Jacob as my hands ran down the length of his spine. My hands seemed to have a mind of their own as they traced the line over his hip and over each one of his abs before going up his chest, where the tips of my fingers traced around the powerful muscles. I could feel Jacob's skin prickling under my touch. At first I thought it may have been because my touch was cold, but by now, they had warmed with the rest of me, all because of his erotic and loving touch.

Jacob groaned loudly as my hand slipped down to the V of his stomach and traced patterns above the waistband of his boxers. His eyes were closed as I did this. They sprang open as my fingers went under the waistband just to caress him lightly.

"Bella. . ." he breathed, slightly breathless. I couldn't help but giggle and bite my lip. He smirked and kissed me softly as his hand dipped below the waistband off my panties, copying my own actions before pushing them down to my ankles. I gasped as he did it and then his own.

He leaned down over me, so we were chest to chest and stomach to stomach. I could feel everything that was Jake as he kissed me deeply, passionately, like we were saying goodbye. His hand clutched the back of my neck, bringing us closer together. I gasped and moaned into his mouth as I felt him push into me with one go and then relaxed as his kiss rang out, _I love you_, in my head. Jake was everything I ever wanted in my life. I was complete with him in my life.

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><p>Hope you all enjoyed this chapter guys! Thank you for your support on the last chapter and keep it coming. Next chapter will be up soon. Have a great day.<p>

Love you all,

- Sky x


	11. Accident

Hey guys,

Sorry I haven't updated this in ages. I've been full on with a lot of things, including new fanfics, self-publishing, original novellas and novels, plus courses and other personal things in my life.

Well, this is the final chapter of Summer Dreams. I always intended it to be short and sweet, so here's the end! Enjoy!

_One Month Later_

"Yeah mum, I'll be on the plane at six…" I sighed. The phone was pressed to my ear behind the force of my shoulder while I packed my luggage bag. "Mom, quit it already! Jake and I are safe. He's not even here. Mom, he's not like those other guys, okay? I've known him long enough to know he isn't. We've been together and he still treats me the same." From the beside table's draw, I pulled out a shirt and stuffed it into my bag.

"I'm just worried about you honey. You sound different, you talk different, and your beliefs are different..." she breathed. Even over the phone I could hear her disappointment thickly coating her voice.

From my pillow, I grabbed my camera and threw it into my bag. I thought mom would be happy for me. Wasn't that what all mother's wanted for their daughters? Be happy, grow up, marry someone and give them grandchildren? Why couldn't my mother be that way?

"Maybe it's because I'm happy mom. Jake's completes my life, and now I'm going to be a bitch and leave him to come back to the dull life I had a few months ago."

"You're not a bitch Bella."

"Aren't I? Because, I feel like I'm about to be… I don't want to hurt Jake mom. He's been through enough as it is and here I am leading him on to just dump him at the end of the day…" Sighing, I sat on the side of my bed, staring down at the pulled back sheets and blankets. The bed's springs flexed under my weight.

My attention was caught after hearing the front door suddenly slam shut. Charlie wasn't supposed to be home yet and Jake always knocked before coming in. There was rumbling through the house before Charlie stood in my doorway. His chest was rising like he had run a marathon.

"Bella, it's Jake," he breathed through pants.

"Mum, I have to go." I didn't give her time to protest before I hung up. "What's wrong?" My heart was beginning to race as the silent seconds ticked by.

"Jake's been in an accident. He's in a coma."

I stared at Jacob lying in the hospital bed. Bandaging was wrapped around his head and right arm, crossed over his bare chest. An IV was connected to his hand; a blood-pressure cuff was connected to his good arm. Sticky patches over his chest were connected to cords of a heart monitor. Rest of the equipment I didn't recognise.

Charlie stood behind me. Embry was standing in the far corner, lightly gripping Jake's father's shoulder. Billy's eyes were glassy as he stared down at the bed's wheels.

"W-what, happened?" I murmured.

Embry raised his head to meet my teary gaze. He swallowed a sob, hard. "We were racing each other when he braked too hard to miss a roo. The bike flipped forward. He wasn't wearing a helmet. It was my fault… I egged him on." Emb bit down on his lower lip, shaking his head as Billy reached up and gripped Embry's shoulder.

"It was his decision, Embry. Not yours," he clarified through whisper.

"Can he hear us?" I murmured, stepping forward. Charlie followed my path as I leaned down beside Jake and took his hand into mine. My thumb stroked over the grazed cuts lining his wrist.

"The doctor said he could," Embry confirmed.

"C-can, I have a moment with him?" I croaked.

Nodding, Embry pushed Billy into the hall. Charlie closed the door behind them.

I carefully sat on the edge of the bed, stroking my finger down Jake's cheek just hoping he'd sense me and reached up and touch my hand. But it didn't happen. He continued lying still, emotionless, on his back like he was sleeping some kind of cursed sleep.

Pushing his short dusted hair back, I placed a gentle kiss to his forehead. I rested my forehead against his, begging. "Please come back to us, Jake … To me. You are my life," I whispered, feeling the tears beginning to streak down my flushed cheeks. "Please … wake up."

Charlie must have slipped back into the room. I felt a hand clasp my wrist. I gasped and twisted around to see him standing behind me. For moment, I thought it was Jacob.

"Come on Bells. You'll miss your plane if you don't go now."

"I'm not leaving Charlie—Jacob needs me. I already made the mistake of leading him on when we both thought I was leaving. He's been through enough," I blubbered. "He's begged me to stay plenty of times to stay. Now I am … if he wakes up."

He sighed and retracted his hand. "I'll call your mother then. Don't be surprised if she rips my head off," he chuckled, temping at making a joke. I didn't laugh.

Mom wasn't happy to hear I missed my flight for Jacob, but I really didn't care. I was old enough to make my own decisions in life, and Jacob was one of those decisions I had made without regret.

I never left Jacob's side. I was going to be there for when he woke. I had to be.

Daily, I'd talk to him, read to him or asked his option on something that was on TV. Embry said it'd somehow guide him back to us and every time I said something, I half expected him to answer back. It felt strange to be talking to myself, but I kept reminding myself he could hear, he just couldn't reply. But everyone did it, even the nurses, as silly as it felt.

In the following days, I began to lose hope for Jake. Doctors came in daily, telling me if he didn't wake soon, there'd be little chance of him waking, ever. Every time I heard those words, my ached a little more. It was a horrible feeling and hard as I tried not to accept their option, sometimes it was difficult to ignore.

Every day, someone came to visit Jake: Billy, Charlie, Leah, Paul, Embry, there was always someone.

I began to think I was his only reason to live after Leah told me he was usually down before I appeared in his life. She also mentioned that he never went riding his bike without a helmet, but within the week of my expected departure on Australia, he began to get reckless.

In ways, I believed she blamed me for his accident. I tried not to accept that, but like a loose cannon, the thought kept rolling around inside my head.

_One Week Later_

With a chair pulled up beside Jacob's bed, I sipped on a bowl of chicken soup. Steam slowly rose from the green-yellow liquid. Considering, it was quiet nice. Glancing to the clock on the opposite wall, my eyes shifted to Jacob's hand resting on his stomach. _It's just a fragment in your imagination Bella, _I sighed, shaking my head from side to side.

Scratching my bowl clean, I set it down. "You would have enjoyed that," I murmured, glancing to Jake. Cupping his cheek, my thumb brushed over his cheek bone.

"Why won't you wake up, Jake? Everyone misses you," I whispered, before feeling a smiling thought perk the corners of my mouth. "Are you having too much fun with your mom?"

I bit down on my lower lip as I abruptly caught eye of Jacob's lips parting. He took in a shaking breath and I wondering if it was normal.

"A-already a-awak-ke," he breathed. I felt my heart skip a beat as his eyes slowly fluttered open and to my face. My eyes turned glassy with tears of happiness.

"Jake! Oh my god I've been so worried about you!" My arms tightly wrapped around his neck before he winced.

"C-careful Bells," he lightly chuckled. His hand slowly reached up to cup my cheek. It was warm, as always. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you too."

His thumb softly brushed a running tear from my cheek. "Why are you crying?"

"I'm just so happy to see you awake," I blubbered then had all my questions flood my mind. "Why'd you do that?" I snapped. "Why'd you ride without, without a helmet?"

He blinked at the shift in my tone. "I think I liked you more when you were snivelling at my side, asking silly questions about soap operas…" A smirk quirked at the side of his mouth before he seen I wasn't going to cave. Sighing, he stared at the baby-blue wall on other side of the room. "I didn't mean to crash… But I did mean to leave my helmet behind…"

"Why?" I mouthed, shaking my head. I didn't understand.

"Because, I think in some stupid way I wanted to crash … life without you … meant nothing to me … God that sounds so selfish and messed up." His eyes shifted to the clock before his teeth grazed his lower lip. "You better go, or you'll miss your plane," he muttered, dropping his gaze to the floor.

"Jacob…" I shook my head and took his face into my hands. I held his darting, concerned gaze. "You're accident was almost two weeks ago. I'm staying! I love you too much to leave you, you goofball!" I watched his face light up like a little boy's on Christmas day who had all his wishes come true.

His good arm wrapped around my neck, bringing me down to him. I melted against his lips in the deepest, most passionate, loving and meaningful kiss we've ever shared. His breath staggered as the heart monitor began racing, but we didn't stop. My heart was just as fast.

"I love you so much Jake," I whispered against his mouth.

"Love you more," he breathed, breaking away to stare into my eyes with a smirk stretching over his lips. "So this is why mom told me to come back to you."


End file.
